Analysis of Brake Failure Causes and How to Save Yourself in Critical Moments

Recent traffic accidents have once again brought large trucks into the public's attention. A large truck driving at night lost control of its brakes and rushed towards roadside shops and pedestrians, nearly causing injuries. In Wenshan, a truck's brake failure resulted in a 9-vehicle collision, fortunately with no casualties.

▎When a large truck's brakes fail on a downhill, the driver experiences a life-or-death high-speed scenario

This was an accident that happened this summer, when a large truck fully loaded with rubble lost control due to brake failure on a long downhill section.

Furthermore, during the downhill process, the truck's front had already tilted forward due to inertia, making the scene very tense. At a critical moment, the truck driver decisively jumped out of the vehicle, performing a truck version of Speed.

▎Large truck's brake failure crashes into supermarket; shopper narrowly escapes death

The incident took place in Lishui City. A lady shopping at a fruit stall suddenly took action and ran away because a large truck hit a wall panel and directly crashed into the supermarket. The reason was that the truck's brakes had failed, making it impossible to control the vehicle. From the video, you can see the truck charging straight into the area where the fruits are displayed. Fortunately, the lady shopping ran quickly, otherwise it would have really been a scene from a ‘Final Destination’ movie.  

Among all traffic accidents, brake failure in large trucks is the most likely to cause an accident, and once an accident occurs, it usually results in serious injury or death. This highlights the importance of brakes for large trucks. Many truck drivers know that brakes are crucial, but repeated brake failures in large trucks leading to accidents, and even the death of truck drivers, still serve as a warning.  

● How brakes work  

As a saying goes, knowing what it is requires understanding why it is so. Many drivers do not know the braking principle of large trucks.  

Even though trucks still use drum brakes, the principle is the same regardless of the method. When you press the brake pedal, it activates a lever, which in turn drives the brake pump. The brake disc and brake pads generate braking force through friction, stopping the truck from moving further.  

▎Common causes of brake failure

Since everyone has already understood the basic working principle of brakes, you can understand in daily life why some behaviors can lead to brake failure, but at critical moments, they can cost you your life.

1. Constantly pressing the brake

As everyone above has already understood, most trucks still use drum brakes. Drum brakes are low-cost but have a major drawback: poor heat dissipation. On a small car, using drum brakes may not show a noticeable difference.

However, when used on a large truck, the poor heat dissipation becomes apparent because large trucks require longer braking distances and stronger braking force. Frequent braking causes the brake pads to overheat and fail, which is a common issue in brake failure.

2. Trucks exceeding speed and weight limits

If the brake pads suddenly fail, there may still be some uncontrollable reasons, but brake failure caused by truck overloading and overspeeding is 100% a man-made disaster. This is why it is emphasized that truck drivers must never overspeed or overload. Excessive wear on the vehicle's lifespan, causing parts to age and become damaged, will naturally increase the risk of problems.

3. Insufficient routine maintenance

Very few truck drivers carefully check their brakes every time before setting off. If regular maintenance is neglected, daily checks, which may seem cumbersome, are often skipped as well. However, it is precisely this carelessness that can lead to losing control of the vehicle in critical moments, resulting in serious consequences.

To do a good job, one must first sharpen their tools—truck drivers understand this principle. Brakes and seat belts can truly save lives in crucial situations. Spending a few minutes on regular checks and maintaining good maintenance habits can save a lot of trouble.
 

4. Bad Driving Habits

Many truck drivers believe that they can manage the previous three points: not overloading, not speeding, and strictly following traffic regulations, so they won't frequently flash their lights. They also pay attention to regular maintenance.

However, the last point is bad driving habits. The difference between an experienced driver and a newbie lies here. Many people will come up with a bunch of reasons, but there is actually one simple way: cautious experienced drivers never lift their foot off the brake pedal.
 

Always maintain control of the vehicle; this is a good driving habit among experienced drivers. Young or less experienced drivers often have the fearless energy of a newborn calf, rushing up to 100 mph, never stopping at 99 mph.  

As for keeping a safe distance, as soon as they hit the road, they forget everything and start letting loose. In an emergency, they might slam the accelerator to the floor, and if the brake suddenly fails, the consequences are unimaginable. Good driving habits are the foundation for ensuring safe driving.  

▎How to Self-Rescue When a Large Truck's Brakes Fail  

Truck drivers need to understand one thing: even if all precautions are taken in advance, accidents cannot be avoided 100% of the time. Although brake failure is a low-probability event, the fear is always 'what if.' So if a large truck's brakes do fail, how should one rescue oneself?
 

1. Stay Calm

Many truck drivers feel like death is approaching when they discover their brakes have failed, especially in busy urban areas or on the highway. At this moment, the most important thing is to remain calm. Otherwise, your mind goes blank, and combined with misjudgments of the road conditions in an emergency, it can lead to failed evasive actions. You must calm down first, rather than immediately swerving the steering wheel or honking the horn wildly.

2. Gently pull the handbrake and downshift to slow down

As mentioned above about not honking excessively, it doesn't mean you shouldn't honk at all, but rather not to honk wildly as the first reaction. First, gently pull the handbrake and downshift to reduce speed. The engine also has a certain reverse force that can effectively lower the vehicle speed at critical moments. As long as you reduce the speed, the truck driver will have more stable control over the vehicle.
 

3. Look for an emergency lane or a safe area

While downshifting and slowing down, the truck driver also needs to do one more thing at this time, which is to carefully observe the surrounding road conditions and look for an emergency lane or a safe area. On the highway, you can first drive the vehicle to the emergency lane to avoid a collision. If there is an open space nearby, or areas like painted zones that can serve as a safe limit, they can also be used.
 

4. Looking for Obstacles

Of course, it's not always possible to successfully find a safe avoidance lane under all road conditions. At this point, truck drivers have no choice but to use the last resort method: driving the vehicle along walls or guardrails to pass obstacles, which can also help reduce speed through friction. However, it is important to note that this should be the last method to use, and should be avoided if possible, as this approach also poses potential dangers for truck drivers.

Brake failure in trucks seems like a low-probability event, but improper handling can easily cause harm to the truck driver. To fundamentally prevent such accidents, the most important thing is to develop good driving habits and conduct regular inspections. Preventing accidents is far more important than dealing with them after they occur.