Mechanical Failure
Equipment FailureAfter drug use by a driver, brake failure is the second largest cause of truck accidents. According to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration report in 2006, nearly 30 percent of truck crashes involved brake problems. At the Indiana law firm of Wagner Reese & Crossen, our clients benefit from the involvement of Chuck Stratis in their truck accident case. Chuck was formerly a risk manager for a large trucking company. In that capacity, he was on the scene of an accident quickly, making sure that there was no damaging evidence against the driver or evidence of mechanical failure of the truck’s equipment. Contact a law firm with its own truck accident specialist on staff who knows how to spot mechanical failure. Today, Chuck works to help individuals hurt in trucking accidents. His knowledge of trucks and of the trucking industry is critical to our success in helping injured people obtain full and fair compensation for their injuries. If you’ve been injured in any type of trucking accident, contact our Carmel law firm to schedule a free initial consultation. Call 800-792-0332. Drivers should check the equipment before setting off and while on the roadIt is the driver’s responsibility to inspect the mechanical, safety and emergency equipment on a truck before getting on the road. Each time a trucker stops, he or she is supposed to do a walk around inspection. In addition to brakes, they should check:
Truckers have little incentive to spend time on mechanical checks and maintenanceBecause truck drivers are usually paid by the mile, they have little incentive to spend a lot of time checking their truck — they are not getting paid for the time they spend on maintenance chores. Many of them would rather hope that everything is in good order and get on the road so they can earn more money. Even if truck drivers do perform maintenance checks, they frequently gamble that the small problems they discover will not get worse while they are on the road. Even though they could adjust the brakes or add necessary fluids, they are not getting paid for the time they spend doing so. The result is shredded tires, brake failures and other mechanical breakdowns that cause accidents. Our truck accident team knows how to read maintenance logs, and can spot discrepancies that could indicate an accident caused by mechanical failure. If you have suffered injuries in a truck crash, contact a law firm with experience in dealing with the trucking industry. Call the Carmel, Indiana, lawyers at Wagner Reese & Crossen to schedule a free initial consultation. An Indiana law firm with a national trucking accident practice |
