How Truck Maintenance Issues Can Cause Truck Crashes in the United States

A semi-truck carrying vehicles collided late at night and damaged the Pearl River Bridge.

The semi-truck hauler carrying seven new BMW automobiles struck the concrete bridge railing and erupted in flames. All seven of the cars burned, along with the semi-truck and trailer. (source)

In the United States, newspapers often feature similar stories. If a trucking company cannot keep its fleet in line with FMCSA requirements and a severe or fatal accident happens, the company could be accountable. 

This post will discuss how truck maintenance issues can cause severe accidents and their solutions.

What are the most common truck maintenance issues?

Trucks have thousands of moving parts that work together in their mechanical and electrical systems. If these pieces fail, the driver might lose control and collapse.

While driving, you’ve spotted the stickers. “How am I driving?” It would be great if professional truck drivers and their management organizations let other drivers rate their driving.

The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) was done by the FMCSA and NHTSA to determine the causes of significant truck collisions. The FMSCA found that maintenance issues contributed to approximately 40% of truck accidents. The three leading causes are:

1- Brake Failures ( 29%)

A truck with brake problems was 170 percent more likely to get the key accident factor than a truck without brake problems.

The ensuing catastrophe is easy to picture if a truck’s brakes or tires fail. It just takes one moment for a truck driver to lose control of his vehicle and plow into oncoming traffic or people.

A brake failure may be disastrous. Federal regulations assure brake system maintenance. If carelessness or lack of inspection causes brake failure and harm, the responsible party could be obligated to pay damages.

2- Tire blowout ( 6%)

“A truck carrying hazardous materials crashes on I-59 near the Mississippi state line.”

Loaded down with hazardous waste material, state police believe a tire blowout on Interstate 59 caused the driver to crash. – (source)”

Tire inspection and maintenance are the responsibilities of the trucking company and the driver. If tires aren’t inflated properly or are too worn down, tread separation and tire blowouts can happen. In such a circumstance, drivers will struggle to keep control of their vehicles.

3 – Cargo Shift (4%)

Improperly loaded cargo can cause the freight to shift and the driver to lose control, leading to a crash with other vehicles. Loose cargo can also fall off the truck and hit other vehicles or make the truck unbalanced and cause it to crash.

This could be caused by many of factors, including:

 

• •  Incorrect loading of the cargo

• • Improper securing of the cargo

• • Rough terrain or road conditions

To keep cargo from shifting, it’s important for truck drivers and people who load the truck to secure and balance the cargo correctly and follow all safety rules and guidelines.

How preventive maintenance can save your day

In order to keep problematic trucks off the road, trucking companies must keep their fleets in good working condition. Truck preventive maintenance depends on the driver and employer.

Before going long-haul, truckers must check the following parts and record them in their daily report.

 

• • The parking and service brakes, 

• • Tires

• • Horn,

• • Steering mechanism 

• • Rear-view Mirrors 

• • Windshield wipers 

• • Emergency equipment

• • Wheels

• • Reflectors

• • Brake connection system

The list of possible maintenance issues that arise from neglecting a truck’s upkeep is far longer.

How can ResQ TRX help you?

ResQ TRX connects truck drivers with repair services to decrease downtime, boost transparency, and streamline the repair and approval processes. Our mobile application helps logistics organizations prevent unexpected downtime and revenue loss. 

We manage driver communication and unscheduled downtime repairs nationwide. Our technology helps shipping businesses identify emergency repairs quickly.

A Final Verdict

The maintenance concerns mentioned above cause collisions and fatalities. Failed brakes prohibit truck drivers from slowing down, making collisions more violent and damaging.

Truck drivers are required to perform pre-and post-trip maintenance checks. They must sign a statement confirming they checked the tires, brakes, mirrors, lights, horns, and other parts. If the driver doesn’t think the truck is safe or it has a maintenance issue, they shouldn’t sign the report. Companies can’t make drivers drive unsafe trucks.