Recently, a catastrophic semi-truck accident in Colorado made national and international headlines. In that accident, a truck that had lost its brakes collided with stopped cars. When the smoke cleared, four people were dead. Eventually, a judge sentenced the driver to 110 years behind bars.
Miles before the Colorado accident site, the truck driver passed runaway truck ramps. These ramps allow truckers to stop when their brakes have overheated or otherwise stopped working. To avoid a collision, safe truck drivers know when to use these ramps.
Steep inclines
West Virginia has some steep grades motorists must navigate. When a trucker is driving down a hill or mountainside, gravity naturally causes the truck’s speed to increase. This can put additional strain on brakes, causing them to become hot.
Even though there are ways to reduce stress on brakes, truckers should monitor their brakes when they are driving down steep inclines. If brakes fail to work properly, using a runaway truck ramp may be the most effective way to avoid a serious crash.
Costly damage
Many runaway truck ramps are full of deep gravel. When a truck runs into this gravel, it may cause damage to the front and underside of the vehicle. Likewise, because drivers typically cannot back off runaway ramps without a tow truck or other professional assistance, using a ramp may cause extensive and expensive delivery delays.
The cost to the trucker and trucking company does not begin to compare to the damages other motorists are likely to face during a collision with a tractor-trailer. Ultimately, if a trucker does not use a runaway ramp when necessary, you may be eligible for substantial financial compensation for any injuries you suffer.