An accident with a large truck can leave you with serious or life-threatening injuries and undo your entire life. It is normal to feel nervous when driving around trucks on New Jersey’s numerous busy roads and highways, but after a truck accident you might be afraid to ever drive again.
There are many common causes of truck accidents, such as distracted, drunk or drowsy driving, but truck equipment defects and malfunctions are another major cause of trucking accidents.
Some common types of defects involve problems with:
- Brakes
- Electrical systems
- Engines
- Steering systems
- Tires
Brakes and the electrical systems
It should come as no surprise to learn that brakes failing on a large truck can cause a catastrophic accident. Failing brakes often cause drivers to panic and make the situation worse. Brakes on trucks should be regularly maintained and truck drivers should drive only while alert so they have a better chance of gaining control of their truck if the brakes fail.
A trucks electrical system controls many different parts of the truck, including the lights, horn and windshield wipers. Other parts of the electrical system affect major parts of the truck, such as the engine. A malfunction with any of these parts could cause a truck driver to lose control and cause an accident.
Engines and the steering systems
The biggest problem when a truck’s engine malfunctions is the truck can slow down or come to a sudden stop on the road. This can cause a pileup leading to serious injuries or fatalities. Engine problems also sometimes result in explosions or fires.
When a steering system fails, a truck driver loses control of the truck. Steering systems that are old or not regularly maintained are more likely to fail. Truck drivers and trucking companies have a duty to make sure all equipment such as steering systems are safe for use out on the highways.
They also have a duty to prevent problems with tires, such as tire blowouts. High-quality tires should be used and tires should be maintained and replaced when necessary.
Lack of training increases danger on the roads
Truck drivers should receive proper training on how to watch for signs of defective or malfunctioning equipment. If they notice that a piece of equipment appears to be defective or their truck starts malfunctioning, they should stop driving immediately and report the issue.
When truck drivers or trucking companies fail in their duty to keep their trucks safe for highway driving, they increase the chance of an accident that puts innocent lives at risk.
After a trucking accident, you may not know where to turn. Your priority should be treating any injuries and focusing on your recovery, but the costs of a truck accident can quickly add up.
Treating your injuries may result in huge medical bills and you could be left unable to work or permanently disfigured. Truck drivers and trucking companies can be held responsible for their actions through a personal injury action. You can receive compensation for these and other injuries by proving negligence.
