Proper Semi Truck Maintenance

Every year there are thousands of fatalities involving semi trucks in the Untied States. The devastation that can be caused by a truck is significantly more severe than that of a regular car. Just the size of a truck alone can lead to the serious accidents involving multiple cars at a time. In an effort to keep truck accidents to a minimum, the United States government has a number of requirements that truck drivers and trucking companies must meet. One requirement and integral part of truck safety is frequent truck maintenance checks.

What Maintenance Entails

Maintaining a semi-truck involves a number of procedures. Unlike a regular car--which must be inspected once a year --trucks suffer from constant wear and tear and maintenance checks are an ongoing necessity. Necessary truck maintenance includes:

•     Frequent checks of all fluid levels--a vehicle as large as a 18-wheelers require much larger volumes of fluids and these fluids must remain clean in order for the vehicle to function properly.
•     Brakes checks--the weight of these large vehicles makes the brakes particularly vulnerable to giving out. The amount of damage that can be inflicted on the highway by a truck without functioning brakes is massive.
•     Tires--the weight carried by all 18 tires can cause frequent blow outs.
•     The engine
•     Lights--trucks have many lights on the vehicle to alert other drivers to their presence and their movements. Each of these lights should be properly working.
•     Turn signals--because trucks are so large it can be very difficult for a truck driver to know if his or her turn signals are out. Therefore they should be checked before leaving for a job.
•     Mirrors--the mirrors on 18-wheelers are the only things allowing the driver to see what is going on to the side or in the rear of him or her.

Proper vehicle maintenance is fairly easy and performing maintenance frequently can save lives.

To find out more about truck maintenance, visit the website of the Iowa truck accident attorneys of LaMarca & Landry, P.C.

James Witherspoon

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