Big Rig Accidents Caused by Large Truck Design Defects
Published: October 8, 2007
Big rig accidents are almost always serious and involve severe injuries that may include permanent disabilities and loss of life. More than 25 percent of all big rig accidents are caused by large truck design defects.
Big rig brake problems accounted for almost 30 percent of the truck accidents compared to only 5 percent of passenger vehicles. Other truck design defects included vehicle rollover, fires, jackknife, cargo shift, and component problems with brakes, tires, steering, engine, and lights.
According to a three-year study based on the causes of large truck accidents, brake deficiencies account for 26 percent of big rig accidents. The study was released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in March 2006.
The Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) was conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). Large Truck Crash Causation Study is the first-ever national study to attempt to determine the critical events and associated factors that contribute to serious large truck crashes so agencies within DOT and others can implement effective countermeasures to reduce the occurrence and severity of these crashes.
This table shows the estimated number of trucks involved in crashes nationwide by specific factors (in this case large truck design defects) associated with the particular crash in which that truck was involved.
| Large Truck Design Defects |
| Brake Deficiency |
37,000 |
26% |
| Tire Deficiency |
7,000 |
5% |
| Jackknife |
7,000 |
5% |
| Overweight |
7,000 |
5% |
| Cargo Shift |
6,000 |
4% |
| Light Failure |
5,000 |
3% |
| Brake Failure |
5,000 |
3% |
| Securing Cargo |
4,000 |
3% |
| Vehicle View Obstruction − includes obstruction related to load, vehicle design, or other factor |
2,000 |
1% |
| Engine, Fuel System, or Exhaust Deficiency |
2,000 |
1% |
| Transmission Failure |
1,000 |
1% |
| Tire Failure |
1,000 |
1% |
| Reflective Tape Missing/Obscured |
1,000 |
1% |
| All Other Defects − includes suspension frame deficiency, and towing unit problem |
|
|
Some big rig design defects cause:
Brake Deficiency-Big rigs use air brakes. Most are drum like units. Air enters the chamber when the brakes are applied, the push rod moves out turning the slack adjuster which rotates the S-cam and forces the shoes into the drum.
Brakes are one big heat engine converting kinetic energy or motion into thermal energy or heat. Suppose a 400-horsepower engine grosses out at 80,000 pounds. A full stop from 60 mph might raise the drum temperatures to 600 degrees F. This is about the limit for safe operation. If the brakes aren't right or the load is not distributed properly, then some drums might go up to 800 to 1,000 degrees F. The drum will increase in diameter as the temperature rises. Danger! Danger! The truck driver and the passenger vehicles around the truck are in danger.
Long down hills can be dangerous
Brake Failure-Downhill runs make severe demands on brakes. Big rig brakes had better be right used with the correct braking technique for optimum safety to the bottom. In recent years there had been erroneous information about how to brake on long down hills by incorrectly suggesting that a continuous application of the brakes was the preferred method. Intermittent application or what the trucking industry refers to as snubbing is the preferred method.
The key to correct brake procedure is air pressure -- the application pressure should be high enough to get all the truck brakes working. Downhill break failure can be prevented when all the brakes are working some of the time instead of some of the brakes working all the time. The application pressure must be high enough to ensure that all brake chambers apply and that all linings make solid contact with the drums - about 20 psi or higher.
Jackknifes-A jackknife occurs when a big rig with a tractor goes into a skid and the trailer swings out and stops at a 90-degree angle. Jackknifing usually occurs when the drive wheels lock while the front wheels and the trailer keep rolling forward. A jackknife most likely starts the ripple effect for multiple car pile ups, which can be the horrific cause of many fatalities.
Wheel Blowouts-When tire tread on a big rig becomes old or defective, a blowout will most likely occur. A blowout can result in immediate loss of control, such as when the back end of the truck begins to fishtail. When this happens, the truck can flip or go airborne, causing a rollover. A blowout can also cause the truck to stop abruptly, which can start the ripple effect for a massive pile up especially during bad weather.
Unsecured Loads-When equipment or loads are not properly secured, it can shift or fall off the big rig which causes a debris-laden obstacle course for other vehicles. When a truck driver changes lanes or turns with an unsecured load, the inside of a trailer can shift and cause the vehicle to lose control.
A big rig accident causes bigger problems. Now is the time to retain a lawyer who will get tough with the trucking companies and those responsible for your accident. Contact Jim Ronca, a Pennsylvania big rig lawyer who doesn’t take no for an answer.
Mr. Ronca is a truck accident attorney with over 20 years of legal
experience. He has twice been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer.