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

Recent traffic accidents have once again put large trucks in the spotlight. A truck driving at night lost its brakes and hurtled towards roadside shops and pedestrians, nearly causing injuries. In Wenshan, a truck's brake failure led to a nine-vehicle collision, fortunately without any casualties.▎Truck brakes fail on a downhill, driver experiences a life-or-death speed situation

This was an accident that happened this summer. At the time, a large truck loaded with rubble lost control because the brakes failed on a long downhill stretch. During the descent, inertia caused the front of the truck to tilt forward, making the scene very tense. In a split-second decision, the truck driver jumped out, acting out a truck version of Speed. Large truck with failed brakes crashes into a supermarket, lady shopper narrowly escapes death

The incident happened in Lishui City. An aunt shopping at a fruit stall suddenly made a move and ran away because a large truck crashed into the wall panels and directly into the supermarket. The reason was that the truck's brakes failed and the vehicle was uncontrollable. From the video, you can see the vehicle heading straight towards the area where fruits were displayed. Luckily, the lady shopping ran fast, otherwise it could have been a fatal accident. Among all traffic accidents, brake failure in large trucks is one of the most likely causes of accidents, and once an accident happens, it usually results in either death or serious injury, showing how crucial brakes are for trucks. Many truck drivers know the importance of brakes, but repeated incidents of truck brake failure, sometimes even causing the death of drivers, still serve as a warning. ● How brakes work As the saying goes, knowing what and why, the brake mechanism of large trucks is unknown to many drivers. Despite trucks still using drum brakes, the principle is the same for all types: when the brake pedal is pressed, a lever is activated which then pushes the brake pump, and the brake disc and pads generate braking force through friction to stop the truck from moving forward. ▎Common causes of brake failure

Since fellow drivers already understand the basic working principle of brakes, you can now understand in daily life why certain actions can cause brake failure, but in critical moments they can be fatal. 1. Constantly pressing the brakes

As you guys above already know, most trucks still use drum brakes. Drum brakes are cheap but have a major drawback: poor heat dissipation. On a small car, you might not notice the difference. But on a big truck, the poor heat dissipation becomes obvious because trucks need longer braking distances and stronger braking force. Frequent braking can cause the brake pads to overheat and fail, which is a common brake failure issue. 2. Trucks speeding and overloading

If brake pads suddenly fail, there might be some uncontrollable reasons, but brake failure caused by trucks being overloaded or speeding is 100% due to human error, which is why truck drivers are strongly reminded not to overspeed or overload. Overusing the vehicle shortens its lifespan, and worn-out parts naturally increase the risk of problems.

3. Inadequate regular maintenance

Few truck drivers thoroughly check their brakes before every trip. They don't even manage regular maintenance, let alone daily checks, which they find tedious. Yet, it's precisely this carelessness that can lead to losing control of the vehicle at critical moments and cause serious consequences.

If you want to do a good job, you must first have the right tools, and truck drivers understand this principle. Brakes and seatbelts can really save lives in critical moments. Spending a few minutes checking them regularly can save a lot of trouble.
 

4. Bad driving habits

Many truck drivers believe they can manage the first three points: not overloading, not speeding, and following traffic rules strictly, so they don't frequently flash their signals. They also pay attention to regular maintenance.

But the final point is bad driving habits. The difference between an experienced driver and a novice lies here. Many people will come up with a bunch of excuses, but the simplest way is that cautious experienced drivers never take their foot off the brake pedal.
 

Always keeping control of the vehicle is a good driving habit for experienced drivers, while young or less experienced drivers often have a fearless attitude and can push to 100 mph, never stopping at 99 mph. Forgetting to keep a safe distance is common once they hit the road and start letting loose. In an emergency, they might slam the accelerator to the floor, and if the brakes suddenly fail, the consequences could be unimaginable. Good driving habits are the foundation for safe driving.

▎How to deal with a lorry brake failure

Lorry drivers need to understand that even if all preparations are made in advance, accidents cannot be completely avoided. Although brake failure is a rare event, it’s always a risk. So, if a lorry actually experiences brake failure, how should one respond?
 

1. Stay Calm

Many truck drivers feel like death is looming when they discover their brakes have failed, especially in busy city areas or on the highway. At this moment, staying calm is the most important thing. Otherwise, your mind may go blank, and combined with the emergency, you could misjudge the road conditions and fail to avoid danger. You need to calm down first, rather than immediately jerking the steering wheel or honking the horn frantically.

2. Gently pull the handbrake and downshift to slow down

Earlier, it was mentioned not to honk the horn wildly. Actually, it's not about never honking, but about not pressing it frantically at first. First, gently pull the handbrake and downshift to slow down. The engine also has some counterforce, which can effectively reduce the speed at critical moments. As long as you slow down, truck drivers will have better control of 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: carefully observe the surrounding road conditions and look for an emergency lane or a place where they can safely avoid danger. On the motorway, you can drive onto the emergency lane first to avoid collisions. If there is an open area nearby, or something like a roadside as long as it can be used for safety, that works too.
 

4. Looking for obstacles

Of course, it's not always possible to successfully find a safe avoidance path in every road condition, and at this point, truck drivers can only use the last method, driving the vehicle along walls or guardrails to navigate these obstacles, which can also help reduce speed through friction. But be careful, this should be the last resort and avoided if possible, as this method does carry some potential danger for truck drivers.

Brake failure in trucks seems like a rare event, but if not handled properly, it can easily cause harm. To fundamentally prevent such accidents, the key is to develop good driving habits and regularly check your vehicle. Preventing accidents is far more important than dealing with them after they occur.