Initiatives aim to improve truck brake safety
When drivers in Illinois take to the roadways, one of the most frightening thoughts that come to mind could be the potential of a collision with an 18-wheeler or semitruck. Due to the size, weight and mass of these vehicles, a crash involving a large truck poses a severe risk to the safety and lives of others on the road. The hazard of a crash involving such a truck is escalated when these vehicles do not receive proper maintenance. For example, negligently maintained truck brakes could mean that the truck fails to stop in slippery conditions or an emergency situation.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is working to promote brake safety in large trucks with several brake enforcement initiatives. These programs aim to ramp up the inspections of large trucks in order to pinpoint safety problems that could be dangerous in case of a trucking accident. In one initiative, the CVSA will organize an unannounced one-day brake safety action, where random inspections of trucks on the roads will be carried out. In another event, the annual Brake Safety Week that will be held from Sept. 16-22 in 2018, inspections will be escalated throughout the week, and poorly maintained trucks in violation of regulations will be pulled off the road.
The inspections aim to identify brake system violations and out-of-adjustment brakes. These systems require ongoing upkeep to function at their top potential, and they are critical for safety. Every year, violations of brake safety make up the largest single reason that trucks are pulled out of service during inspections.
When negligently maintained trucks aren’t caught in an inspection, they can do serious damage in a truck collision. A person who has been injured in a crash that was caused by a poorly maintained truck can work with a personal injury lawyer to seek compensation for the damages he or she sustained as a result.