Inspection event removes 2,000 trucks from roads

The condition of the brake system of commercial trucks is an important road safety issue. Drivers in South Carolina may be interested to know that that as a result of unexpected brake inspections, almost 2,000 trucks were sidelined due to violations.

During Brake Safety Day, an event implemented by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, inspectors conducted 9,524 roadside inspections in 33 states in the United States and in 10 provinces in Canada. A total of 1,989 commercial trucks were classified as out-of-service for a number of violations. Out of that number, 1,146 of the trucks were sidelined due to violations related to brakes. The CVSA reports that during roadside inspections, brake-related violations account for most of the out-of-services violations.

According to the CVSA, the objective of the annual, unannounced event is to have commercial trucks undergo roadside inspections and have the trucks with significant brake violations removed from the roads. The organization also states that it wants to determine if antilock braking systems are being properly maintained.

The number of trucks that were identified during the event as being required to have an antilock braking system totaled 4,635. Those that had violations related to their antilock brake systems numbered 391, or 8 percent to the total.

Individuals who are injured as a result of commercial truck accidents may have legal recourse. A personal injury attorney may examine the factors surrounding an accident and may file lawsuits against multiple parties whose actions contributed to the accident. They may include drivers who operated the vehicle while fatigued, distracted, drunk or engaged in other negligent behavior. The truck carrier may be liable for hiring an unqualified truck driver or failing to ensure that the truck received the necessary maintenance. The manufacturer of the truck may also be liable for defective auto parts.