Brake Failure Caused Life-Threatening Injuries in I-70 Truck Crash
A serious four-vehicle crash on I-70 involving two semi trucks sent five people to the hospital on the afternoon of June 4, 2025, including one with life-threatening injuries. The crash shut down I-70 for several hours west of the Eisenhower Tunnel.
An investigation into the cause of this chain reaction crash has revealed that a westbound Freightliner semi-truck out of Texas lost its brakes while heading west from the Eisenhower Tunnel.
Without its brakes, the Texas Freightliner crashed into the rear of a second Freightliner semi-truck. Both semi trucks then careened into the eastbound lanes, striking two passenger vehicles. The second semi rolled before coming to rest in the median of I-70 eastbound, with its driver suffering life-threatening injuries. The trailer of the first semi truck then struck a Toyota Rav4 that was traveling east on I-70 before finally hitting a Toyota Tacoma and coming to a stop.
The Texas driver of the brakeless semi truck was cited for careless driving causing bodily injury, for causing the chain reaction car accident.
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CONTACT THE LAW OFFICES OF PETER M. ANDERSON, COLORADO TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYER – 303-444-1505
Brake Failure is a Common Cause of Semi Truck Crashes
Well-maintained brakes are one of the most critical components of a semi truck. A 2014 study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) determined that semi truck brake problems were found in 29% of large truck crashes. This resulted in a relative risk increase of 2.7. A relative risk increase of 2.7 means that a truck with brake issues is almost three times more likely to be involved in a crash than a truck with good brakes.
Brake failure crashes are particularly common through the mountains of Colorado’s I-70 corridor. The high elevation and steep grades, particularly in the final stretch leading into Denver, are challenging for experienced truck drivers. This stretch of mountain highway is exceptionally dangerous for inexperienced out-of-state drivers unfamiliar with the demands of mountain driving.
Semi trucks are bigger and heavier than the largest passenger vehicles, and fully loaded can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. This is nearly 20 times the weight of a full-size SUV.
Even with perfect brakes on a flat, dry road, a fully loaded semi truck traveling 55 mph can take 216 feet to come to a stop. Add in the time it takes a driver to perceive a hazard and react, and it will take over 500 feet for a semi truck to come to a stop – a distance longer than a football field.
The weight and power of semi trucks also contribute to brake failures in other ways. The stresses and forces semi truck brakes are placed under every day cause them to wear down and malfunction with far more regularity than car brakes. Most are equipped with air brake systems as well. And damage to air brakes, like loose hoses or worn-out lines or seals, can cause failure or reduced stopping power.
Using, and especially overusing, brakes can lead to catastrophic truck crashes. Overuse of the service brakes, such as when traveling downhill in the mountains, can cause overheating of the brakes. This degrades brake performance initially and can lead to an outright failure.
Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) brakes also need to be properly adjusted and maintained. However, manual adjustment of automatic brakes can actually cause truck brakes to fall out of adjustment, reducing stopping power.
Given the importance of brakes and the skill needed to safely operate semi trucks, state and federal governments have crafted detailed regulations regarding brake performance and condition.
The FMCSA Closely Regulates Brake Performance and Condition
Because of the importance of brakes to the safe operation of a big rig on the highways of Colorado and other states, the FMCSA closely regulates the maintenance and condition of semi truck brakes.
With few exceptions, commercial motor vehicles must have functioning brakes on all wheels. Motor carriers or trucking companies are required to systematically inspect, repair, and maintain all the CMVs in their fleet or under their control. These corporations must keep and retain records of inspections, repairs, and maintenance to establish the condition of the CMVs.
Truck drivers are required to inspect and document the condition of their trucks, including the brake systems, every day. Before starting for the day a driver must inspect their CMV and be satisfied that it is safe to drive. They have to again inspect the tractor and trailer at the end of the day.
Trucking companies must have every truck and trailer undergo a detailed yearly inspection every 12 months. The annual inspections include the brake system, service brakes, parking brakes, all the tubing and hoses, the air compressor, warning devices and other components. These detailed inspections ensure all components of the CMV are in good working order.
Mountain Driving Requires Experience and Skill
The Colorado mountains can present challenges for any driver. But drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), like semi trucks or tankers, need to be particularly skilled to safely navigate mountain roads and highways. Inexperienced truck drivers unfamiliar with Colorado mountain driving or poorly maintained semi trucks prone to mechanical failures have led to horrific crashes in Colorado over the years.
The Colorado Commercial Drivers License Manual outlines special considerations for mountain driving. The bare minimum required of any semi truck driver passing through Colorado is to be familiar with the Commercial Drivers License (CDL) manuals section on mountain driving. Whether going uphill or down, gravity is a major factor that must be accounted for in mountain driving. Going uphill requires use of lower gears to safely go with the flow of traffic.
An experienced truck driver knows that engine braking should be the primary regulator of speed when traveling in the mountains. The engine brake, or jake brake, controls the speed of the tractor and trailer; while the service brakes should be used only to supplement the engine brake. Service brakes need to be saved for only when necessary to slow or stop with traffic.
Improper use of a semi truck’s service brake can lead to brake fading or, in the worst case, brake failure.
The Colorado Department of Transportation recently launched “The Mountain Rules” safety initiative aimed at educating and preparing truck drivers for Colorado mountain driving. This series of videos hopes to educate drivers, particularly out-of-state drivers, on issues such as avoiding overheating brakes, so they are prepared to safely navigate Colorado’s mountain highways.
The Best Truck Crash Attorneys Can Get to the Bottom of Brake Issues
Whether or not brakes contributed to or caused a truck accident in Colorado will not always be obvious. You need experienced truck crash attorneys who will know what to look for and how to prove bad brakes played a role in your truck crash. Your average car accident or personal injury lawyer may not have the skill or knowledge to recognize how brake issues can play a role in your truck crash.
The best truck crash lawyers know that brake condition can contribute to a truck crash even when it is not as obvious as the failure that led to last month’s I-70 mountain crash. Experienced truck crash attorneys know the clues from the scene or truck inspection that can point to a brake issue.
This includes immediately investigating the scene of the crash so that critical evidence is not altered or destroyed. Skid marks, debris, and markings on the roadway or terrain can be washed away by the elements. This evidence, in the hands of an experienced truck crash attorney or truck crash expert, can be essential to establishing that brake condition or maintenance played a role in a serious truck crash.
Brake failures often seem to happen unexpectedly. It takes an experienced truck accident attorney to investigate the systemic issues a trucking company or motor carrier had that led to the brake failure.
Poor or haphazard maintenance programs, putting off critical repairs or maintenance, or lazy or failed daily inspections can, over time, lead to catastrophic failures. While a brake failure can seem sudden, it usually is the result of a series of failures over months or years.
Trucking companies that route drivers through the Colorado mountains have a responsibility to hire or train competent drivers to safely navigate the mountain highways. A driver’s failure may ultimately be the responsibility of their employer if they were placed in a position where they had to drive in conditions for which they were ill-prepared.
As a victim of a truck accident you need a law firm with experience and education in commercial truck accident cases. Attorneys at the Law Offices of Peter M. Anderson have the experience and education necessary to handle complex truck accident claims. Peter M. Anderson is board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys, one of only two such qualified in the state of Colorado. He can navigate the complex federal regulations applicable to your injury claims. He has a history of successfully holding negligent truck drivers and trucking companies responsible in serious truck crash cases. Call the Law Offices of Peter M. Anderson, Colorado Truck Accident Lawyer at 303-444-1505 today.