When an 80,000-pound tractor-trailer suffers a mechanical breakdown at highway speeds, the results are catastrophic. In Texas, these failures often stem from a combination of intense summer heat and the extreme long-haul distances required to traverse the state. Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), trucking companies have a non-delegable duty to inspect, repair, and maintain every vehicle in their fleet.
Usual mechanical culprits
Identifying the specific cause of a crash is the first step in establishing liability. Accident reconstruction experts and investigators frequently identify the following mechanical failures:
- Brake system failure: Air brake systems on commercial rigs are complex and prone to “brake fade” or total failure when pads are worn or air lines leak.
- Tire blowouts and defects: Steering tire blowouts are particularly dangerous, often leading to “jackknife” incidents or underride collisions on major interstates.
- Lighting and reflective tape failures: Burned-out lights or missing “conspicuity tape” (reflective strips) make massive trailers nearly invisible during nighttime transit.
- Steering and suspension issues: Worn ball joints or broken springs can cause a driver to lose all directional control, effectively turning the truck into an unguided projectile.
These failures are typically the result of a trucking company prioritizing delivery speed over scheduled maintenance. When a company ignores a pre-trip inspection report to keep a truck on the road, they are placing every other driver on the Texas highway at extreme risk.
Why maintenance records are the key to your case
Following a commercial truck accident in Texas, the most critical evidence is often found in the company’s digital and physical maintenance logs. Under the Code of Federal Regulations, trucking companies must maintain detailed records of every inspection, repair, and “Out-of-Service” (OOS) violation.
- Establishing negligent maintenance: If a post-accident investigation reveals skipped inspections, the company can be held liable under the theory of negligence per se.
- Identifying “bad actors”: Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) and maintenance software can prove if a company intentionally deferred repairs to increase profits.
- Chain of custody: Professional legal counsel will immediately issue a spoliation letter to ensure these records are not “lost” or destroyed before they can be audited.
In Texas, proving that a mechanical failure was foreseeable and preventable is essential for securing a recovery. By researching and taking specific actions, an attorney can demonstrate that the trucking company chose profit over the safety of the public.