While truck drivers are often the ones found to be at fault for a crash, sometimes crashes are the result of poor maintenance of the truck. For example, maybe the driver or trucking company failed to have the brakes serviced and they failed, leading to a crash with another vehicle.

Sometimes a truck was taken in to be serviced, but things were missed, or the mechanics did a poor work, making mechanical failure more likely.

In these situations, drivers, trucking companies and even repair shops could all be liable for damages that may result from a crash. Below, learn more about maintenance/mechanical issues that commonly arise with commercial trucks and how they may increase the risk of a crash.

Our Bloomington truck accident lawyers are ready to help you seek compensation. Call today.

Brake Failure

The brakes are arguably the most important piece of equipment on a commercial truck, as far as preventing a crash is concerned. If the brakes fail or do not work as well as they should, a crash is much more likely to occur.

One thing to remember about commercial trucks, and vehicles is general is this: the heavier they are, the longer they take to stop. If the brakes are malfunctioning, it may be much harder for a driver to slow down and come to a stop. This could make a crash more likely to occur.

The brake pads may be worn down and need to be replaced. Sometimes there are sets of brakes that must work harder than others. There may be mismatched sets of parts or problems with the pneumatic system. These issues could cause the brakes to lock up.

Sometimes the brakes are not the issue – the truck may be overloaded with cargo. An overloaded trailer can make it harder for the brakes to work as they are supposed to. An overloaded trailer may make the brakes more likely to fail.

Problems with Steering

If there are steering issues, either with the steering wheel itself or the axles, the driver may be unable to maneuver the way he or she needs to, to be able to avoid a crash.

Pump malfunctions, fluid leaks, blocked hoses or worn belts can all contribute to the failure of a steering system. Fortunately, drivers should be able to discover problems because steering wheels often get loose or vibrate when they may need maintenance.

Regular maintenance should solve most of these problems and prevent the need for costly repairs later.

Tire Failure

The condition of a vehicle’s tires is important no matter how big or small the vehicle is. However, the health of a commercial truck’s tires is vital to the safety of those drivers sharing the road with commercial trucks.

Tires often fail because they are underinflated, or the treads are worn down too far. If a tire is underinflated, it may be more likely to blowout. Simply hitting an object could cause the tire to fail if it is not properly inflated.

Worn or uneven treads can make a commercial truck harder to control. Sometimes uneven treads are created by underinflation or overinflation, poor alignment or mismatched tires.

One of the many benefits of hiring a licensed attorney to represent your case is he or she can investigate maintenance issues with the commercial truck that caused your crash. He or she can obtain maintenance records and review state and federal regulations to determine if any may have been violated.

Why Do These Issues Regularly Come Up?

When you consider the danger maintenance issues may create, you may be asking why so many drivers and trucking companies seem to let things go.

The problem is that companies and drivers are under immense pressure to meet tight deadlines. That often results in violations of federal or state laws. Drivers may let some things slide because they need to make a deadline.

As these issues are quite common, they may have contributed to your crash. That is why the crash needs to be thoroughly investigated to assess why it occurred and who may be liable.

Injured in a Truck Crash? You May Have Legal Options

TSR Injury Law is prepared to help truck crash victims seek full compensation for their injuries. Our initial consultations are free of charge and come with no legal obligations. That means there is no risk in contacting our firm to discuss the crash.

For more than 20 years, we have been advocating for those injured in crashes. Our firm has secured over a billion in compensation on behalf of our clients.

Give us a call today to learn more. Call (612) TSR-TIME.