Commercial trucks travel thousands of miles each year, carrying heavy loads across Georgia’s highways. When trucking companies or drivers ignore maintenance, trucks become dangerous to everyone on the road and increase the risk of accidents.
How poor maintenance causes accidents
Commercial trucks need regular maintenance to stay safe on the road. In fact, the federal government has strict rules for the inspection and upkeep of commercial vehicles, but some drivers and companies ignore them to save time and money. This negligence can result in serious accidents.
When a truck has bad brakes, it takes longer to stop, which increases the chance of rear-end collisions. Tire blowouts can make a truck swerve into other lanes, causing multi-vehicle crashes. Faulty headlights or turn signals make it harder for other drivers to predict the truck’s movements. Even small mechanical issues can lead to deadly accidents when a truck is moving at highway speeds.
The responsible parties for a truck accident
If poor maintenance causes a truck accident, multiple parties may be responsible. The trucking company must inspect and repair vehicles regularly. If they fail to do this, they can be accountable for an accident. Truck drivers also have a duty to check their vehicles before every trip. If they notice a problem and do not report it, they could share the blame.
Sometimes, a maintenance company or mechanic is responsible. If they performed poor repairs or used faulty parts, their mistakes might have contributed to the crash. In other cases, the truck’s manufacturer is at fault if the vehicle had defective parts from the start. Proving who is responsible often requires examining maintenance records, inspection reports, and accident details.
Understanding the dangers of poor truck maintenance can help an accident survivor seek justice. If a truck crash happens because of neglected maintenance, the responsible parties should cover damages.