How Air Brake Failures Cause Georgia Semi-Truck Accidents and How to Prove It

Key Points:

• Brake failures are a leading cause of truck crashes and often lead to successful injury claims against the drivers, trucking companies, mechanics, or manufacturers responsible for brake maintenance, adjustment or installation.  
• Federal and Georgia regulations require strict brake inspections and maintenance.  Violations of these rules can be used as evidence of negligence. 
• Air brake systems are complex and prone to failure if not properly maintained, making inspections and adjustment records critical in injury cases. 
• Multiple parties may be liable—from the driver who skipped a pre-trip inspection to the company that ignored maintenance or a manufacturer that sold defective parts. 
• Thorough investigation is key; identifying every violation and liable party increases your chances of recovering fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

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Were you recently involved in an accident with a semi-truck? Did the truck driver tell the investigating law enforcement officer that his or her brakes failed? Drivers often make this statement to protect their jobs—but it can also give you an advantage in your truck accident claim. Here’s how it works. 

Could Faulty Truck Brakes Have Caused Your Accident?  

Maybe. Brake failures are a leading cause of serious truck crashes, and when they happen, the results are often catastrophic. Commercial trucks rely on complex braking systems that require strict inspection, maintenance, and care to operate safely. If a truck’s brake components were defective, worn down, or improperly maintained, those failures may have directly caused the collision.  

Determining the cause of any truck crash in Georgia is key to identifying the liable party. If bad brakes led to a semi hitting you, this could make the driver, trucking company, or even the brake manufacturer legally responsible for your injuries and damages. 

What to Know about Brakes on Commercial Vehicles 

Most large trucks use air brake systems rather than hydraulic systems found in passenger cars. This is because air brakes are designed to handle the enormous weight of a fully loaded tractor-trailer, often up to 80,000 pounds. Air brakes use compressed air to push brake shoes against the brake drum in order to create the friction needed to slow or stop the truck. Even a small leak or delay in air build-up can significantly affect braking performance. 

Hydraulic braking systems may be used in lighter commercial trucks. Hydraulic brakes rely on brake fluid, not compressed air, to transfer force from the brake pedal to the brake pads or shoes. When a driver presses the pedal, hydraulic pressure pushes the fluid through lines, activating the brakes at each wheel. 

The type of braking system on a commercial vehicle can play a major role in both how an accident happens and who may be held responsible. If a crash is linked to defective brakes, poor maintenance, or a failure to inspect the system properly, those details often become key evidence in determining liability in a truck accident claim. 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Truck Brake Requirements 

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Regulations 49 C.F.R. § 393 et seq., commercial vehicles must meet certain requirements and safety protocols. If trucking companies and drivers fail to meet these regulations, they create dangerous situations and could be held liable in a crash. 

Basic Brake System Requirements  

Every large truck that is subject to FMCSA regulations must have:  

• Service brakes that can control and stop the truck  
• Parking brakes adequate to hold the truck under any loading condition  
• Emergency brakes that work independently of the main brake system  
• Brakes on all wheels (with limited exceptions for agricultural trailers)  

Brake Condition Standards  

These required brake systems must also be in working condition. Under the law this means: 

• Brake tubing and hoses must be secure and free from damage  
• All brake connections must be secure and leak-free  
• Brake lining must be thick enough to provide safe stopping  
• Brake pushrod travel cannot exceed 80% of rated stroke  

Warning Systems Required  

All trucks must have a working: 

• Pressure gauge for the brake system  
• Warning signal when brake system fails  
• Out-of-adjustment indicator lights for automatic brakes  

Who Can Be Held Liable for Brake Failures in Truck Accidents? 

When a truck’s brakes fail, more than one party may be responsible. Who is liable depends on how and why the brake failure occurred.  

Liable parties could include:  

• Truck drivers, if they failed to conduct required pre-trip inspections, ignored warning lights, or continued driving despite obvious brake issues. 
• Trucking companies, for poor maintenance practices, pressuring drivers to skip inspections, or knowingly putting unsafe trucks on the road. 
• Mechanics, if they performed faulty brake repairs, used substandard parts, or failed to identify problems. 
• Brake manufacturers, if a design defect, manufacturing flaw, or inadequate warning made the brakes dangerous. 
• Parts distributors or suppliers, if they supplied defective or recalled parts can also be held accountable. 

A thorough investigation is necessary to determine the cause of the faulty brake. With this evidence in hand, your lawyer can then identify liable parties. This also determines the sources of compensation that are available, helping you to secure fairer compensation for your truck accident injuries.  

Hypothetical Example: T-Bone Crash in Decatur 

Priya was driving home from her daughter's soccer game at Ebster Field when an 18-wheeler ran a stop sign and T-boned her SUV. Priya’s car was totaled, and she suffered injuries that left her hospitalized and unable to work for weeks. 

While speaking to the police and the insurance adjuster, the truck driver claimed his brakes "just failed" and that it wasn't his fault.  As a result, the trucking company’s insurance offered Priya a low settlement offer that barely covered her expenses and did not account for her future needs or the pain and suffering she endured. 

Priya’s truck accident lawyer hired an independent investigator to inspect the truck. That inspection and other evidence revealed that:   

• The truck's brake slack adjusters measured 2¼ inches (federal limit is 2 inches)  
• The brake lining was worn below a  safe thickness  
• The driver failed to inspect the brakes during his pre-trip inspection  
• The trucking company did not complete necessary maintenance on the brakes  

Because the brake system violated multiple FMCSA regulations, Priya's attorney could prove the trucking company was negligent. Instead of receiving a small insurance settlement, Sarah won a substantial verdict at trial that covered her medical bills, lost wages, pain, and the ongoing care she needed for her permanent injuries.  

Truck Brake Failures and Your Georgia Injury Case  

Federal trucking regulations set strict standards for brake inspection, adjustment, and maintenance. Violations of these requirements could be strong evidence of negligence and form the foundation of your claim. 

If you’ve been injured in a collision with a commercial truck, your attorney can investigate whether: 

• The truck’s brakes were properly adjusted 
• Required pre-trip inspections were performed 
• Maintenance and service records were accurately kept 
• The braking system met federal safety standards at the time of the crash 

Violations like these can be crucial to proving fault and securing compensation in a Georgia truck accident injury case.