When New York drivers get behind the wheel, they can be dedicated to keeping their eyes on the road, but an accident can still strike. When the cause of an accident is a poorly maintained truck, the results can be particularly devastating due to the size, weight and mass of the vehicle involved. Despite the dangers posed to others by negligently maintained trucks, there are a number of large trucks on the highways that are suffering from serious deficiencies in the upkeep of their brakes.
This is why the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance is sponsoring its annual Brake Safety Week in September. The purpose of the week is to reduce the threat of dangerous truck accidents by ordering trucks with brake violations off of the roadways until they receive necessary repairs. In order for a large truck to function safely on the roads, its brakes must be properly maintained. When they are damaged or ill-maintained, a truck could fail to stop, particularly in slippery or emergency conditions.
Brake violations are perhaps the most common cause of maintenance and safety issues among large trucks. A one-day brake safety check in 2017 found that 14 percent of all trucks inspected had to be removed from the roads due to the dangerous condition of their brakes.
Poorly maintained truck brakes can be a threat to the safety and even the lives of truck drivers and everyone else who shares the road with them. When people have been injured in a truck crash caused by a negligently maintained truck, they can consult with a personal injury lawyer about how they can pursue compensation for their lost wages, medical bills and other damages.