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2026
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Semi-trailers are prone to losing control during sudden braking; urgent action is needed to rectify braking safety issues
Because of the uncoordinated operation of the braking system, semi-trailers are prone to accidents. Below are two cases we randomly found online.
In the video, a semi-trailer experienced a 'jackknifing' phenomenon while driving, while another one skidded with its rear end swinging out. Similarly, both vehicles had accidents while performing emergency braking. Why do such accidents happen repeatedly?
These two accidents seem completely unrelated, but the vehicles involved share a common issue with their braking systems. Due to problems with the main trailer matching in the braking system and the electronic assistance system not functioning as it should, the vast majority of semi-trailers on the market have inconsistent braking issues, and this problem is the direct cause of accidents when semi-trailers make emergency stops.
Semi-trailers with braking safety hazards are very likely to be unable to brake effectively in emergency braking situations, which can lead to serious accidents such as rear-end collisions and loss of control. According to statistical data, in 2023, in our country, one person dies every minute due to traffic accidents. Among these accidents, the proportion involving trucks is very high.
The number of trucks in our country accounts for only 10% of the total number of motor vehicles, but the accidents they cause account for a quarter. Among accidents involving trucks on mountain roads, 81% are related to the truck's braking system.
Although the braking systems of trucks have greatly improved with the popularization of hydraulic retarders and the integration of electronic assist systems such as ABS, this is only superficial.
In fact, according to the comments on the short videos we posted, at the user level, there is a lack of awareness and an unwillingness to spend more money on safety configurations. From the manufacturers' side, in order to obtain more profit per vehicle, they use inferior products. From the perspective of regulatory agencies, they only superficially check whether you have them, without looking at the effectiveness, which means that the braking systems of semi-trailers still have very significant hidden dangers.
In addition, if the main brake system is not well matched, it may also result in early wear on some tires. I have previously analyzed this case in a dedicated article. The original link is as follows:
Early brake wear may be due to issues with the main gear matching
The semi-trailer braking system is not compatible. On one hand, for the operation of our vehicles, it will result in higher operating costs, such as abnormal early tire wear; on the other hand, due to the uncoordinated operation of the braking system, it is very easy for the vehicle to lose control during emergency braking, thereby causing accidents.
The braking system issues of semi-trailers have become an urgent industry problem that needs to be resolved. First, relevant authorities should strengthen their crackdown on non-compliant enterprises and products, and enhance industry supervision; second, users should be fully aware of the importance of the coordinated operation of the braking system to improve their safety awareness; moreover, manufacturers should also strengthen self-discipline, improve product quality, strictly comply with the relevant national standards and regulations, and provide users with safe and reliable vehicles.
Only through the joint efforts of the whole society and continuous promotion can the prevalent issues of semi-trailer matching in the industry be improved, creating a safer and more harmonious traffic environment.
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