Due to their sheer size, many rules and regulations have been put in place to ensure truck drivers are following the proper safety protocol when hauling loads. Weight limits have been established to ensure trucks are safe on the open highway and interstates. There are many reasons an overloaded truck should never be driven on any road.
Laws Regarding Overloaded Trucks
There are laws that govern how much weight a truck can hold and safely operate. Weigh stations are put in place to check offenders and stop them from continuing their course. Many serious accidents can be avoided when drivers heed the laws. When the laws are broken, injured victims often end up calling an attorney.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the load sizes for each type of truck. The driver must pay attention to their truck’s identification plate to ensure they are aware of the weight limits of their axles.
5 Reasons an Overloaded Truck Should Never Be on the Road
Aside from avoiding breaking the law, there are also other concerns with overloading the cargo on a truck.
1. When trucks are overloaded with too much cargo, it places undue strain on the axles and mechanical components of the truck, making it more difficult to control. When a truck driver cannot properly control their truck, the odds of a serious accident occurring are greatly increased.
2. The federal limits for trucks are 80,000 for gross vehicle weights. In addition to heeding the weight limit laws, truck drivers must also be properly trained to evenly distribute the weight of their cargo.
An improperly packed truck is an extreme danger because it can flip over. Not only does this place the driver in danger, but it can also lead to the injury or death of other drivers and pedestrians. Improper loading is a common cause of truck accidents.
3. Jackknifing occurs when the trailer of the truck swings wildly to the side and forward, leading to a loss of control. This is most often a problem seen in trucks that have too heavy of a load. Jackknifing can lead to serious accidents.
4. A heavy load causes extreme amounts of pressure on the braking system and tires, resulting in poor control and lessened stopping ability. Trucks already face a long stopping time without a load, but this problem becomes even more pronounced when hauling too heavy a load.
5, In poor weather conditions, it is more difficult to control a large truck. When poor weather conditions are coupled with heavy loads, the result can be disastrous. In snow, ice, rain, or windy conditions, load adherence limits are essential.
Trucks Can Be Deadly
When someone is injured in a trucking accident, they often are faced with a long recovery period that can stretch on for weeks, months, or even years. There are many reasons truck accidents injuries can occur, including truck rollovers. Contacting a lawyer is sometimes necessary for protecting the victim’s rights.
Conclusion
Laws have been established to ensure trucks are as safe as possible when traveling on roads. Improper loading and too much weight are major contributors to trucking accidents. When truck drivers do not heed the laws, they place themselves and other drivers and even pedestrians in danger. Properly following the law will save lives and prevent needless accidents from occurring.
