Accidents Caused By Poor Truck Maintenance

It’s estimated that the average truck does more than 100,000 miles each year, transporting goods across the country. This usually leads to enormous wear and tear on many of the truck’s components, necessitating regular maintenance and repair. Trucking companies always have their bottom line on their minds, and have been known to push these repairs forward or simply downplay them in the interests of making money at the expense of the general public.

Here are a few instances of poor truck maintenance:

  • Failure to replace worn out tires. These usually take on a lot of pressure and wear down with time. This makes it necessary to replace them to avoid tire blowouts
  • Broken windshields can obstruct the driver’s view and make it more likely for them to be involved in an accident due to poor visibility.
  • Faulty brakes are a surefire way of getting into an accident. In fact, it is recommended that trucking companies examine these at least once a day to avoid mishaps on the road.
  • A malfunctioning horn may result in other drivers not seeing a fast moving truck ahead of time, ending in a collision.
  • Steering failure will make the truck impossible to control, sending it hurtling into oncoming traffic.
  • Broken and missing headlights will make it harder for the truck to be seen in low visibility times and conditions such as during a snowstorm or at night.

Truck Accidents: Don’t Delay in Contacting an Attorney

The FMCSA requires trucking companies to keep truck maintenance records for up to a year if the truck is still registered under them, and 6 months if it it’s been released from their control. In the event of an accident, you want to make sure that you move fast and contact a truck accident lawyer in order to secure copies of these records which will go a long way in proving negligence and increasing your chances of winning a large amount in damages. It is important to act right away and not wait: the value of your case is time-sensitive. Please call us today on 877-561-3004 for timely legal assistance. Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you.