Truck accidents can devastate Texas roads and everyone traveling on them. Poor air brake maintenance is a major cause of these incidents.
Why are commercial trucks so slow to stop?
Commercial trucks are huge and take longer to stop than cars. This is due to the design of the truck’s braking system. Instead of hydraulic brakes such as those found in passenger vehicles, semi-trucks rely on air brakes that don’t leak fluid. This type of braking system uses compressed air to pump the brakes instead of using brake fluid. As a result of the makeup of these brakes, it takes a truck longer to come to a complete stop.
Often, when a truck accident occurs, it could be due to the brakes. Because trucks normally take longer to stop, there could be a variety of reasons for more accidents to happen. However, poor air brake maintenance is a big factor that can result in a truck crash.
How should trucking companies maintain air brakes?
There are federal regulations that determine how trucking companies should maintain their trucks’ air braking systems. Depending on certain factors such as whether a truck is carrying cargo and the weight of that cargo, there are specific standards expected of a trucking company. For example, a major factor behind a commercial truck’s period of time to stop depends on the weight of the truck.
Truck air brakes should be maintained on a daily basis to ensure that they are in proper working condition. If any braking systems are found to be faulty or worn, they should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible before the truck is back on the road. As a general rule, trucks’ air braking systems require servicing or replacement for every 250,000 to 300,000 miles the truck travels.
If a truck gets into an accident due to poor air brake maintenance, the trucking company could be held liable for any injuries that result.