Semi-trucks, also called big rigs and tractor-trailers, are massive and possibly hazardous vehicles that are challenging to handle and prone to tipping over since they are designed to transport large loads over long distances. Heavy trucking is strictly controlled for road safety because they have the potential to cause catastrophic damage, life-altering injuries, and even fatalities in accidents.
Unfortunately, trucking corporations often disregard established rules for profit or other corporate objectives, putting other drivers in danger and resulting in catastrophic accidents with highly significant injuries.
The truck’s weight and whether it was correctly loaded are two of the main causes of truck-related accidents. If you have been hurt in a collision with a semi-truck, you should consult with Ladah Law Firm.
What are the semi-truck weight restrictions?
Because large cars wear down roads considerably more rapidly than light vehicles, putting roads, overpasses, and other infrastructures at risk of deterioration, weight restrictions, and carrying capacity limitations for large trucks were first designed to safeguard the highway system.
The gross vehicle weight, which includes the trailer and the load, should not exceed 80,000 pounds, despite the computations for weight restrictions being intricate. Truck drivers can get around weight restrictions by avoiding certain roads or by merely not stopping at weigh stations, even though capacity limits are confirmed at weigh terminals along the highway.
What might happen to an overloaded truck?
Weight restrictions are essential for several reasons, not the least of which is safeguarding our highways and bridges. Overloaded semi trucks are more likely to experience mechanical breakdowns, which could result in serious collisions with other cars. Tire implosions, which can result in a loss of power of the truck, rollovers, which can cause significant traffic jams and fatalities, and brake system issues are a few of the issues that an overloaded vehicle may experience. Overloaded trucks may be harder for the driver to manage and require more time to stop. Thus, an accident that may have initially appeared to be the result of bad driving was brought on by an excessively heavy
Which other issues can wrongfully load trucks cause?
Both improperly loaded trucks and overloaded trucks can be dangerous for other motorists. A cargo that is not secured can still result in major accidents and endanger other drivers even when the vehicle is within weight restrictions. Heavy items might tumble off the trailer, or fluctuating weight could cause rollovers and make the vehicle difficult to steer. Similar to weight restrictions, transportation companies must adhere to semi-truck loading and security procedures.
