Driving a truck can be a dangerous job. While accidents can happen for a variety of reasons, one of the top causes is brake failure, which can stem from a wide range of issues.
Manufacturer Defect
Truck and other transportation parts undergo rigorous inspection before being installed in your vehicle. This does not mean that mistakes can’t and won’t happen. When we are talking about brakes, even the slightest machining error can cause issues and could eventually lead to brake failure in trucks. In some cases, it may be the shop or whoever installed the brakes that made the mistake.
No matter which area it falls under, a brake failure like this is hard to actually plan for and prevent. You should always take the best possible steps to ensure all parts are produced by reputable companies and have undergone and passed all necessary testing. If someone else installs your truck parts, ensure they have the necessary experience and track record to prove it.
Improperly Maintained Brakes and Parts
Just like any large machine, long-haul trucks need to be maintained and serviced regularly and properly. If you are the one in charge of servicing your vehicle, then you are the one in charge of your life. Make sure you are following all steps properly and not cutting corners that can result in failures of any kind. You have less control when it is someone else handling the service and maintenance issues. You can use visual inspections to ensure things look to be in good working order before every run.
Overloaded Truck or Trailer
All trucks and trailers have load limits in place. These limits are there to ensure the safety of everyone involved. An inattentive or unknowledgeable load crew can cause serious issues by overloading a truck or loading an unbalanced load. The extra force on brakes can cause them to fail just when you need them the most.