Brake Guidelines In Place To Prevent Missouri Truck Accidents
A truck driver was injured after his semi hit a tire and wheel in the roadway near Hiawatha, Missouri. The truck driver was eastbound on US-36 highway when his truck hit the object in the road. Allegedly the driver tried to brake, but the truck did not slow down enough in time to avoid the Missouri truck accident, which blew out a front tire and broke an oil line. The driver was wearing his seatbelt.
According to the FMCSA, there are certain guidelines implemented for semi truck brakes to ensure that such situations are prevented. The following items are necessary:
1. Antilock brake system. Each single-unit vehicle should be equipped with an antilock brake system that directly controls the wheels of at least one front axle and the wheels of at least one rear axle of the vehicle. Wheels on other axles of the vehicle may be indirectly controlled by the antilock brake system.
2. Antilock malfunction signal and circuit.
(a) Each truck should be equipped with an indicator lamp, mounted in front of and in clear view of the driver, which is activated whenever there is a malfunction that affects the generation or transmission of response or control signals in the vehicle's antilock brake system.
(b) Each truck tractor that is equipped to tow another air-braked vehicle, should be equipped with an electrical circuit that is capable of transmitting a malfunction signal from the antilock brake systems on one or more towed vehicles. Each such truck tractor and single unit vehicle shall also be equipped with an indicator lamp, which is activated whenever the malfunction signal circuit described above receives a signal indicating an ABS malfunction on one or more towed vehicles.
(c) Antilock power circuit for towed vehicles. Each truck tractor that is equipped to tow another air-braked vehicle shall be equipped with one or more electrical circuits that provide continuous power to the antilock system on the towed vehicle. Such circuit should be adequate to enable the antilock system on each towed vehicle to be fully operable.
3. Service brake stop lamp switch; this is a switch that lights the stop lamps when the service brake control is statically depressed to a point that produces a pressure of 6 psi or less in the service brake chambers.
4. Brake distribution and automatic adjustment. Each vehicle shall be equipped with a service brake system acting on all wheels.
(a) Brake adjuster. Wear of the service brakes shall be compensated for by means of a system of automatic adjustment. When inspected, the adjustment of the service brakes should be within the limits recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
(b) Brake indicator. For each brake equipped with an external automatic adjustment mechanism and having an exposed pushrod, the condition of service brake under-adjustment shall be displayed by a brake adjustment indicator that is discernible when viewed with 20/40 vision from a location adjacent to or underneath the vehicle.
The foregoing guidelines solely detail the most important brake factors of most trucks. There are other vehicle specific regulations that should also be followed to further ensure safety and prevent dangerous Missouri Truck wrecks. For more truck regulations and safety guidelines, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov.
As an experienced Missouri truck accident lawyer, I am happy to discuss your case with you and answer any questions you may have. If requested, I will immediately alert our accident investigation team and begin taking the same action as the truck company and their insurance company.
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