Laredo Truck Accident Lawyer
Overloaded and Overweight Trucks
Far too often, trucking companies and truck drivers overload their trucks with products for transport. Tractor-trailers have specific weight limits designed to maintain the semi-truck’s stability. These weight regulations are based upon a big rig’s size and dimensions and the tractor-trailer’s truckload dimensions. We occasionally see weigh stations on the side of the highway where the Motor Carrier Compliance Office conducts truckload weight testing. Unfortunately, few of these weigh stations do anything to control the weight of semi-trucks traveling on more local roads. More on this website
Overloading a truck can affect its braking and steering, leading to a fatal semi accident or truck crash. An overloaded truck moves slower on upgrades, faster on downgrades, and shifts during curves in the road or turns on more minor roadways, resulting in a potential jackknife or rollover accident. When truck brakes are forced to work too hard, they can fail. 
In addition to straining the brakes, the additional weight stresses the tires, suspension, drive train, and cooling system. If the trailer’s weight is greater than that of the towing vehicle, or a cab, then there is an increased chance of losing control. Trucks, tractor-trailers, and semis all require a much greater distance to stop than passenger vehicles such as cars. The heavier the truck, the greater the space it needs to stop, and the likelier a misjudgment in stopping distance will lead to a rear-end collision. Larger 18-wheelers with oversize loads or high trailers can also cause serious truck accident collisions. However, just because a load is within legal limits does not make it safe. The weight not well distributed can pose several problems, from steering difficulties to a higher propensity for jack-knifing. Top-heavy Loads increase the likelihood of a rollover accident, especially at high speeds or in emergency steering maneuvers. While an overloaded truck is more challenging to steer, weight shifts can worsen this problem. Examples of weight shifts include livestock, cargo that has not been adequately secured, and liquid cargo in tanks. On poor road conditions, such as uneven road surface or a slick roadway surface often created by 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 know the load being transported, including its weight, placement, and how it is secured. The truck driver must inspect the cargo before the trip unless the load is sealed and the truck driver has been instructed not to break the seal. However, if the shipment is sealed, the driver must still obtain relevant payload characteristics. Because of most truck accidents’ severe and preventable nature, serious crashes may become the grounds for a truck crash lawsuit. Truck accident lawsuits, however, have legal challenges associated with them, and you need aggressive, prompt attention from a dedicated accident lawyer. Suppose you or a loved one has been seriously injured or a family member suffered a wrongful death in a truck accident. In that case, you and your family members may be eligible for compensation in money damages. Contact our injury law firm today for a prompt assessment of your circumstances.