Brake Failure

The brakes on a car are quite possibly the most important safety feature that car manufacturers have ever put in place. Brakes decide, in many cases, whether a car will hit something or someone or not. When they fail, no one is safe.

Brakes are made up of a variety of pieces that are crucial to keeping them working properly. Over time, brakes have gotten more advanced. They have brake pads that wear out less frequently than older models or types. In addition, the Anti-lock Brake System, or ABS, has made the brakes less likely to seize up or lock while they are used in wet circumstances.

Brakes require friction in order to stop the vehicle. When the brake pads wear down too much, achieving this friction is not possible. This lack of friction results in brake failure. There are other ways that the brakes don’t have enough friction to stop the vehicle.

One of the ways that the brakes have their friction stripped from them is through grease or oil on the brakes. These two things are very slick and will prevent the brakes from engaging properly. Another problem occurs when the brakes become overheated. When the metal part of the brakes gets too hot, “hot spots” develop. These spots resist friction from the brake shoes and pads and so the brakes can’t function.

Warnings of brake failure including the ABS light coming on, drag while accelerating, a pulsing brake pedal when it is applied/depressed, or clicking, grinding, or squeaking sounds when the brake is applied.

Contact a Wisconsin Car Accident Attorney

If you have been in a car accident in which the brakes failed, contact the Wisconsin car accident attorneys of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C., at 1-800-242-2874.