Brake Failure Eyed in Littleton Semi-Truck QuikTrip Crash

Image: South Metro Fire Rescue

A semi-truck hauling a heavy trailer reportedly lost its brakes traveling south on Santa Fe Drive in Littleton this week. The semi-truck driver exited Santa Fe onto Belleview Avenue, crossed the median before crashing into a parked Jeep at a QuikTrip gas station. The semi-trailer smashed the Jeep into the side of the building, crushing it beyond recognition.

Crews extracted the Jeep’s occupant and rushed them to the hospital. Miraculously, the occupant survived and the hospital released them the next day. The driver of the semi-truck refused medical services at the scene

What can cause such a horrific crash? Was it distraction or fatigued driving? It is possible that those were factors. And while the cause of the QuikTrip crash is still under investigation, the driver of the semi-truck reported his brakes failed immediately prior to the crash.

Brake Failure: The Leading Mechanical Cause of Commercial Truck Crashes

Denver semi-truck crash lawyers know brake problems are the single most common vehicle-related cause of serious commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crashes in the United States. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Large Truck Crash Causation Study found that crashes involving brake issues accounted for 29% of all semi-truck crashes examined.

In fact, in August 2025, 2,296 commercial motor vehicles were placed out of service (OOS) during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week. Brake issues accounted for 15% of all the CMVs placed out of service in that seven-day period. This means more than one out of every seven commercial trucks randomly inspected had brake problems serious enough to take it out of service.

The best truck crash lawyers know that CMV braking systems are complex. Semi-trucks and CMVs almost universally have air brake systems that depend on a network of compressors, lines, chambers, slack adjusters, and drums or disc assemblies working in perfect coordination. Given the size and weight of loaded semi-trucks, upwards of 80,000 lbs., these systems are under constant stress and forces that can quickly wear them down.

Any damage to an air brake system can reduce the semi-truck’s stopping ability or, as appears to have been the case with the Littleton truck crash, cause the brakes to fail completely.

And unlike a passenger car, where a soft pedal or a shimmy signals brake trouble, CMV brake issues can often be subtle or invisible to an untrained eye. For this reason, state and federal rules and regulations mandate the trucking industry inspect their CMVs daily.

Colorado and Federal Motor Carrier Regulations Require Routine Inspections and Maintenance

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) impose a comprehensive and layered inspection regime on commercial motor vehicles and the companies that operate them. It should come as no surprise that there are strong and specific requirements for the inspection and maintenance of brakes.

Under 49 C.F.R. § 392.7, a commercial truck driver must conduct a pre-trip inspection before operating the vehicle each day. The driver must be satisfied that the truck’s service brakes, parking brake, and brake connections are all in good working order before the vehicle moves an inch. This is not a cursory walk-around.

Federal regulations and the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) manual require drivers to test brake pedal feel, check air pressure gauges, inspect visible brake components, and verify that the system is functioning properly.

Drivers also have to inspect their CMV at the end of each day, and document their inspection in a Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) under 49 C.F.R. § 396.11. If the driver identifies any defects or deficiencies affecting the safe operation of the vehicle, such as out-of-adjustment or damaged brakes, the driver must document those defects in writing on the DVIR.

Contact a Colorado Trucking Accident Attorney

The Trucking Accidents Attorneys at Bowman Law offer a steady and thoughtful approach to cases like these. We take the time to listen, gather all the facts, investigate your case, and strategize a plan to guide your case forward. Contact Bowman Law today at 720-863-6904 or schedule a free consultation today.