Truck Accident Lawyers

Overloaded and Overweight Trucks

Far too often, trucking companies and truck drivers overload their trucks with product for transport. Tractor trailers have specific weight limits which are designed to maintain the semi-truck's stability. These weight regulations are based upon a big rig's size and dimensions, as well as the tractor trailer's truckload dimensions.

We occasionally see weigh stations on the side of the I-75 highway where the Florida Department or Motor Carrier Compliance conducts truckload weight testing. Unfortunately, there are few of these weigh stations on Interstate 75, and do nothing to control the weight of semi-trucks travelling on more local roads such as:

Overloading a tuck can affect its braking and steering, leading to fatal accidents. An overloaded truck moves slower on upgrades, faster on downgrades, and shifts during curves in the road or turns on smaller roadways, resulting in potential jackknife or rollover accident.

When truck brakes are forced to work too hard, they can may fail. In addition to straining the brakes, the additional weight stresses the tires, suspension, drive train, and cooling system. And if the weight of the trailer is greater than that of the towing vehicle, or cab, then there is an increased chance of a loss of control.

Trucks, tractor trailers, semi' s, all require a much greater distance to stop than passenger vehicles, such as cars. The heavier the truck, the greater the distance it needs to stop, and the likelier a misjudgment in stopping distance will lead to a rear-end collision.

Larger 18 wheelers which have outsize loads or high trailers can also cause collisions.

Just because a load is within legal limits, however, does not make it safe. Drivers should check the truck's gross vehicle weight and towing capacities in the truck's owner's manual. Also, weight that is not laterally well distributed can pose a myriad of problems, from steering difficulties to a higher propensity for jack-knifing. Loads that are top-heavy increase the likelihood of a rollover accident, especially at high speeds or in emergency steering maneuvers.

While an overloaded truck is more difficult to steer, weight that shifts can compound this problem. Examples of weight that shifts include livestock, cargo that has not been properly secured, and liquid cargo in tanks lacking baffles. On poor road conditions, such as uneven road surface, or a slick roadway surface often created by Florida's torrential downpours during the rainy season, controlling a truck with cargo that shifts its weight can be especially difficult.

A truck driver is responsible for and must have knowledge of the load being transported, including its weight, placement and how it is secured. The truck driver must inspect the cargo prior to the trip, unless the load is sealed and the truck driver has been instructed not to break the seal. In the event that the cargo is sealed, however, the driver must still obtain relevant payload characteristics.

Because of the preventable and serious nature of most truck accidents, they tend often to be the cause for litigation. Truck accident lawsuits, however, have legal challenges associated with them and you need aggressive, prompt, attention from a dedicated accident lawyer. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a truck accident, then assert your legal rights early. Contact an experienced truck accident attorney today.

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