Reader v. General Motors Corporation

STEVENS, Judge.

On 14 July 1965, in the course of his employment, Lawrence R. Reader was driving a heavily ladened 1965 Chevrolet truck of the 60 series down a steep grade. His minor son, Robert, was with him. The truck was approximately six months old. Before starting downgrade, Reader tested the service brakes and they were functioning satisfactorily. He shifted to a lower gear to have the advantage of engine compression to impede the downgrade progress of the truck. Compression alone would not adequately control the vehicle’s speed. After he commenced his downgrade course and upon the third…