4 Killed When Driver Says His Brakes Failed Prior To Accident

How dumb do you have to be to take the exit after your brakes have failed? Congratulations. You just snuffed out the lives of four innocent people.

 

I'm not so sure that he was even thinking clearly. He panicked and was looking for some way to stop. This goes back to not knowing how to drive mountains. I've said this before, I think it's too many under-trained drivers out here. I don't think they should get turned out til they've experienced mountains out west.

 

If his brakes really failed that will become known during the investigation. If they didn’t really fail, he’s toast. He might be toast either way.

 

There are so many failsafes and redundancies put into brake systems that total brake failure is pretty rare nowadays.

 

I came thru there last night and the site was still surrounded by cops and wreckers, if I'm not mistaken, there is an escape ramp around the same area.

 

Most trucks today don't even have the Applied Brake Pressure gauge. That's how I was trained to go down the mountains. 10 psi or less on the brakes and you can ride them all day without them overheating or failing.

 

For such a short interstate, I-17 has some pretty decent grades.

Lived in AZ for 16yrs and have seen my share of dip sticks not knowing what they are doing or underestimating the grades on this stretch.