Boston Firefighter's Family Files Lawsuit
The family of a firefighter killed in a Boston ladder truck crash sues several companies.

Boston LODD Report Shows Airbrake Training is Needed
A NIOSH report on a fatal ladder truck crash specifies several issues that fire departments should be aware of.

Boston Crash Focus of Conference
A FDSOA conference featured a presentation on last year's fatal ladder truck crash in Boston. This crash has been attributed to poor maintenance of the brakes.

Incorrect Parts Cited in Fatal Boston Crash
An investigation revealed that inproper parts may have contributed to a fatal LODD in Boston, MA.

NIOSH Issues Automatic Slack Adjuster Bulletin

Brakes were the Cause of Fatal Boston Crash
An investigation revealed that brake failure cause the fatal Boston ladder truck crash.

Truck Placed Out of Service with Brake Issues

How a Master Cylinder and Combination Valve Work
An interesting article from "How Stuff Works" that addresses how a master cylinder and proportioning valve work together to help prevent wheel lock-up.

How Anti-Lock Brakes Work
An article from "How Stuff Works" which discusses how ABS works.

How Brakes Work
An article from "How Stuff Works" on how brakes work.

How Disc Brakes Work
An article from "How Stuff Works" which discusses how disc brakes work.

Downhill Braking
A small article that discusses the advantages of "snub braking" while descending hills with air brakes.

Downhill Braking Methods
A great article that discusses how to properly use your air brakes while descending a hill.

Iowa DMV Airbrake Manual
The Iowa Department of Motor Vehicle handbook on air brakes.

Michigan DMV Air Brake Manual
The Michigan Department of Motor Vehicle handbook on air brakes.

Fleet Managers Required to Brake for ABS
A good site that gives a brief overview of how anti-lock brakes work on trucks, along with tips on how to use them properly.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Anti-Lock Brake FAQs
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety provides answers to questions about anti-lock brakes.

Federal Motor Carrier Administration Anti-Lock Brake Page
An in-depth discussion of anti-lock brakes on trucks, provided by the FMCSA.

General Airbrakes
Small site with a brief overview of air brakes. Additional links to other topics at the bottom of the page.

Air Disk Brakes
Slides from a Powerpoint presentation that discuss the advantages of air disc brakes on commercial vehicles.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Rear ABS on Light Trucks
A NHTSA document that discusses the effectiveness of ABS on light trucks.

Brake Fade Chart
A chart that shows how temperature affects the efficiency of brakes.

Brake Fade Definition
Definition of brake fade provided by cars.com.

The Knowledge: Brake Fade
A newspaper article that discusses brake fade.

Brake Fade Explained
An article that explains what causes brake fade in cars.

Braking Tragedy
An article from Firehouse.com that discusses a fatal incident involving faulty brakes.

Braking Myths
A site that discusses several myths associated with automobile brakes.

Brake Systems Explained
Nice site that gives an overview of how brakes work and discusses brake parts in cars.

Braking Safety
Nice article by Edmunds.com which discusses such issues as following distances, braking time, stopping distances, etc.

How Brakes Work
A short site that describes how different types of braking systems work

How do Air Brakes Work?
An explanation of how air brakes work.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Brake Safety Page
A site from the FMCSA that has several links to brake related pages.
Includes video clips of anti-lock braking for truck drivers.

 

May 24, 2011