Truck Accident Reconstruction – Air Brakes
Air Brakes – Always an issue in trucking accidents:
- Trucks have more brakes
- Truck brakes require more maintenance
- Trucks take more time and distance to stop
- Truck collisions may be catastrophic even at low speed
- Air brakes used to be designed on the basis of the fully loaded condition
- Unloaded brake performance was compromised
- ABS allows truck brakes to adjust the braking action to match the load condition resulting in design braking for all loading conditions.
- Discs are replacing drums
- ABS is now on most trucks and trailers unless they are approaching “antique” status
- ESC (Electronic Stability Control) is here
- The stopping distance standards are becoming more stringent
- Stability Control, Collision Avoidance, Lane Keeping, Blind Spot Monitoring, are becoming more prevalent
Air Chambers and Slack Adjusters
- If they are not set up properly, maintained and inspected, the brakes do not work.