While most trucking accidents in San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area are caused by driver error, some trucking accidents occur because of mechanical issues. One of the most common and dangerous types of mechanical problems that cause tractor-trailer accidents in San Francisco involve brake failure or malfunction. One recent study conducted under the auspices of the Department of Transportation (DOT) found that nearly thirty percent of commercial trucking accidents are caused at least in part by brake related issues.
When brake failure causes a San Francisco trucking accident, there are a number factors involved in the brake failure or malfunction:
- Defective Brakes: The brake system or component parts are defective.
- Lack of Inspection: Drivers may fail to conduct mandatory pre-trip inspections.
- Improper Load: The driver, commercial carrier or shipper may overload the truck causing the brakes to fail.
While brake failure can be frightening in any type of motor vehicle, the danger increases exponentially when the vehicle barreling down the 101 Freeway is a tractor-trailer loaded to its maximum allowable weight of forty tons. The issue of brake safety is significant enough that many roads with steep grades have runaway truck ramps as a safety precaution. Federal regulations promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) set forth certain safety standards for tractor-trailer brakes including the following:
- The brake system must meet the automatic brake adjustment system requirements.
- The brakes must be able to generate a certain braking force proportional to the tractor-trailer’s weight.
- The brake system must permit the truck to come to a complete stop from a speed of twenty mph at a certain rate, which is proportional to the size of the tractor-trailer.
When the braking system that a tractor-trailer is equipped with does not meet these standards, those injured in a brake failure related trucking accident might have the right to pursue a product liability claim against the vehicle manufacturer. The basis for the product liability claim may be that the tractor-trailer brake system was negligently designed or that there were irregularities or issues in the fabrication process so that the brakes did not comply with their own design specifications. Sometimes the brake system or its components may be subject to a recall. In this situation, the truck driver or trucking company may be liable along with the manufacturer if a notice of recall was received and no remedial action was taken.
Brake failure related trucking accidents are sometimes caused by issues unrelated to defects in the design or manufacturing of the brakes. Some drivers with the tacit endorsement of the trucking company will actually disable the front brakes of a tractor-trailer to reduce the cost of tire and brake wear. Commercial truck drivers also are supposed to conduct pre-trip inspections and keep records regarding such inspections in driver logbooks. When these inspections are not conducted, the results can be fatal brake failure related trucking accidents.
Contact Us For Your Free Truck Accident Consultation
If you are involved in a San Francisco tractor-trailer accident, you may suffer catastrophic life-changing injuries. If you or someone you love has been injured or a loved one has died in a San Francisco tractor-trailer accident, you should contact us as soon as possible because critical deadlines apply. San Francisco truck accident attorneys invite you to contact The Law Office of Ian Zimmerman for your free initial consultation. We are open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., speak Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, and are available for weekend, evening, home and hospital meetings and visits. We also offer free initial consultations and work exclusively on a contingency fee basis so that you pay nothing if we don’t win your case.