Compared to regular passenger vehicles, heavy trucks (defined as trucks weighing over 10,000lbs) face a much higher risk of brake-failure while driving. Statistics from the Department of Transportation show that each year, brake-failure in heavy trucks contributes to 50+ deaths, 1,600+ accidents, and $22M+ in financial liabilities. Even a partial loss of braking-ability reduces the overall stopping-power of a truck, leaving truckers responsible for rescuing themselves and fellow drivers on the road from a catastrophic accident. Despite the many existing countermeasures, brakes can still fail due to a number of reasons, thus each scenario poses the complicated question of who incurs financial and legal accountability.
I am aiming to develop a retrofittable device called BrakeCheck that will empower truck drivers to bring their runaway trucks to a quick and controlled stop, creating safer roads for everyone. In the event of partial/total brake-failure, BrakeCheck will slow the rotation of a truck’s wheels by providing a counter-torque on the truck’s driveshaft. Ultimately, I hope to provide truckers with an increased sense of safety and reassurance that they would not have otherwise.
