Inadequate Maintenance a Common Cause of Commercial Trucking Accidents

 Posted on November 21,2018 in Truck Accidents

Every year, thousands of commercial trucking accidents occur throughout the United States. Many of these accidents are caused by reckless driving, such as speeding, inebriated driving, and drowsy driving. While driver error is the leading cause of commercial trucking accidents, a large number of these accidents have nothing to do with driver negligence and are actually caused by inadequate or improper maintenance. 

Commercial trucking companies have a responsibility to adequately maintain their vehicles to ensure the safety of the public. If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving a tractor-trailer truck, it is entirely possible that the accident was caused by negligence at the company level. 

Common Forms of Improper Truck Maintenance 

Despite stringent regulatory programs designed to ensure that commercial trucks never become part of a traveling fleet without receiving proper maintenance, commercial trucking companies throughout the United States continue to overlook basic maintenance procedures. These oversights can endanger the drivers and passengers of other vehicles, pedestrians, and anyone else who uses the roads. 

Commercial trucks have limited steering and braking capabilities, and flaws in maintenance can have a major impact on a driver’s ability to operate their vehicle safely. The most common forms of improper commercial truck maintenance include flaws within steering mechanisms, malfunctioning windshield wipers, brake problems such as improper connection of trailer braking systems, and deflated or overinflated tires. 

Both trucking companies and their drivers are legally responsible for caring for their vehicle and ensuring that they have executed proper maintenance inspections. Failure to properly inspect or maintain a large commercial vehicle can come with fatal ramifications. In 2016 alone, 4,564 Americans lost their lives in motor vehicle accidents involving large commercial vehicles. 

Schedule a Meeting With a Lake County Car Accident Lawyer 

If you have been involved in a motor vehicle collision involving a semi-trailer truck, it is critically important to work with a legal team that will aggressively represent your best interests. At Salvi and Maher, L.L.C., our team of personal injury attorneys have years of experience working to ensure that our clients receive the full compensation they deserve after being injured in truck accidents. Commercial trucking companies will often attempt to fight against paying for the full extent of injuries suffered in a collision involving one of their vehicles, which is why strong representation is needed in these cases to ensure that liable parties are held responsible for the damages suffered by a victim. Schedule a free consultation with a Waukegan personal injury attorney by calling 847-662-3303. 

Sources:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/data-and-statistics/2016-commercial-motor-vehicle-traffic-safety-facts-sheet