The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance held its annual Brake Safety Week from Sept. 16 to 22, inspecting trucks and other commercial vehicles at random to check for compliance with brake safety rules. Truckers in West Virginia may remember it, but even if their vehicles were not checked, they will want to know the results of the spree.
In all, 35,080 commercial vehicles were inspected in the U.S. and Canada. Inspectors placed 4,955 of those vehicles out of service for brakes violations; that comes to 14.1 percent. The 2017 brake inspection spree, though it lasted only one day, saw 14 percent of vehicles sidelined. Brakes violations continue to be an issue; in June, when the CVSA held its annual 72-hour International Roadcheck, poorly maintained brakes formed the majority of violations at 28.4 percent.
The focus of the 2018 Brake Safety Week was on vehicles that require antilock braking systems. ABS is meant to help drivers maintain control of their vehicles during certain situations, so it can endanger everyone on the road if the system is poorly maintained.
Of the 26,143 air-braked power units that were inspected for ABS violations, 2,176 or 8.3 percent were pulled out of service. 4.4 percent of hydraulic-braked trucks were discovered to have violated ABS standards. The highest number was among trailers that require ABS: 2,224 out of 17,857, or 12.5 percent.
Negligent truck maintenance is sometimes the cause behind truck accidents. In such cases, the negligent driver’s trucking company may face an injury claim from victims. Those who are injured through little or no fault of their own might retain a lawyer to prepare their case for the negotiation table. If a settlement cannot be agreed upon, the lawyer may speak on the victim’s behalf in court. A successful claim might cover medical expenses, lost income and other applicable losses.
