Improper Braking Technique

Commercial trucks have more complex brakes than most vehicles because the brakes must stop large vehicles that can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. To stop the momentum of the truck, the brakes must be properly maintained and applied correctly.

Unfortunately, commercial truck drivers can make mistakes in operation of air and mechanical brakes, resulting in a longer stopping distance or a violent rear-end collision. When a commercial truck crashes into motor vehicles from behind, serious and fatal injury to passenger-vehicle occupants typically results.

At Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, we handle the most complex personal injury and wrongful death cases. Call 800-646-1210 to speak with a Southwest Florida trucking accidents lawyer today.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that loaded tractor-trailers take anywhere from 20 to 40 percent longer than cars to stop, even under best-case scenario. Close to a third of truck accidents involve a problem with brakes, as reported by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

While the problem is sometimes that brakes are not properly maintained, truck drivers can also make mistakes in applying the brakes. A number of different errors can occur including:

• Truckers failing to apply the brake as their trucks begin to gain speed, leading to a runaway truck.
• Truckers failing to downshift or slow the vehicle speed in preparation for braking.
• Truckers applying the brakes in a way that results in jack-knifing or a rollover accident.
• Truck drivers applying brakes improperly when traveling over water, resulting in hydroplaning.
• Truckers braking too hard for current circumstances, causing the load to shift and the truck to roll or the cargo to spill and strike other vehicles.
• Trucks that collide violently with stopped traffic ahead.

Truck drivers need to know proper braking techniques, including paying attention to the gauge that measures air pressure and ensuring that steady brake pressure is applied if the antilock brake system is engaged. When going down an incline, trucks also face added challenges, like ensuring they have chosen the proper gear and accelerating naturally to a speed that is safe.

If a truck driver fails to follow best practices and improper braking technique leads to a truck collision, the driver can be held legally liable. In some cases, trucking companies are also held responsible if drivers are negligent on-the-job.

A Florida trucking accident lawyer can provide assistance to victims of collisions caused by improper braking. The victim or surviving family members will need to prove the driver was negligent or unreasonably careless.

Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured provides strategic legal counsel to accident victims and their families. We have more than four decades of experience and we represent only injury victims. With a network of outside experts and in house legal professionals, we can investigate the cause of your crash and help obtain the compensation you deserve. Call today at 800-646-1210 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.