Is an 18 Wheeler Legal?

Many car accidents occur and can result in physical injury, medical bills and time lost from work. But, if an 18 wheeler gets involved it could be more grave.

Victims can submit a claim for financial compensation when this occurs. A New Orleans truck accident lawyer can help.

Weight Limits

In general, 18 wheelers can only carry up to 80,000lbs, including the weight of cargo. This is a very strict limitation that requires trucking companies to load their vehicles to the maximum extent possible and can lead to overloaded. If a truck driver exceeds this limit, they may face fines, which vary according to the location.

You can usually tell if an 18 wheeler accident lawyer-wheeler is going over the limit by looking at their lights. A single flash of their blinkers signifies that it's safe to merge in front of them, but high beams or 18 wheeler accident lawyer multiple flashes mean that it's not. Keep an eye out for truck drivers who also use their lights as a way to communicate with each other.

It is important to leave a significant gap between your vehicle and an 18 wheeler particularly when you pass. Trucks require plenty of space to slow down and stop and if you cut them off, it could lead to an unfathomable crash. Although truck drivers are frequently seen as bullies on the road, 72% of crashes between cars and trucks result from car drivers.

The number of Axles

Unlike cars, semi-trucks require multiple axles to rotate their wheels. A typical semi-truck has four wheels, including the drive and steer axles. Trailers usually come with two tandem axles. This can make them much longer than a typical passenger car and it's crucial to keep this in mind when driving alongside one of these vehicles.

The limits on axle weights are based upon a variety of factors, such as the Federal Bridge Formula and the legal limits set by each state for single axles as well as axle groups. State limits may be higher than federal limits, therefore it is important for truckers to check both before traveling.

The challenge of hauling freight is enough to be difficult and adding additional weight increases the likelihood of an accident. If the trucker overloads their trailer is in violation of the law and can be held responsible for consequences of the injuries. If you've suffered injury in an accident caused by an 18 wheeler, a truck accident lawyer can help determine whether the driver was carrying more than the maximum load allowed, and whether this negligence was the cause of your injuries.

Speed Limits

Every driver knows that speeding is one of the main causes of truck accidents. This is particularly the case for large trucks due to their size, weight and weight. Truckers should therefore adhere to the speed limits on every road they travel on.

Truck drivers are often under pressure to make quick delivery and may not be able slow enough to accommodate the conditions. This can lead drivers to drive recklessly, which could cause harm to other drivers.

It is possible to reduce the chance of these accidents by using speed limiters. This is a device which will automatically restrict the speed of a truck to a safe level that can be fitted in a variety of types of trucks.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is currently evaluating a new rule which would require truckers to use these devices. The agency has released an additional notification of the proposed rulemaking to solicit feedback on the proposed rule. In previous proposals it was suggested that truck speeds be limited to 60, 65 or even 68 miles per hour.

Insurance

The majority of private vehicle owners purchase a single policy to cover all their vehicles. Truckers however don't own the vehicles they drive. Instead, they lease their 18-wheelers to a trucking company. Due to the increased risk of commercial vehicles, trucking companies typically require higher liability insurance limits. Additionally, they may purchase cargo and bobtail coverage for their vehicles. Cargo insurance safeguards the cargo that a semi-truck is carrying. Bobtail insurance protects the truck after it has delivered its cargo. These policies may help grieving families and victims members in the event of an accident.

Maintenance

It is often difficult to estimate the costs of maintenance for commercial vehicles. This is due to the fact that trucks are extremely expensive to maintain and repair particularly when they require major repairs. However some trucking companies offer maintenance schedules that provide an estimate of the overall cost of maintaining the vehicle.

Trucks come with ten brakes instead of eighteen and anti-lock breaks are being offered on new trucks. In general, trucks require around 40 percent longer than a standard car to stop. This is due in part to the large dimensions of an hope mills 18 wheeler accident law firm-wheeler as well as its speed increase the stopping distance.

The term "eighteen wheeler" has become synonymous with trucking and is even mentioned in country music tracks like the Red Sovine titles "Giddyup Go" and "Teddy Bear" and thrash metal band healthndream.com BigRig's hit song "Roll on". It is crucial to keep in mind that these trucks aren't at their own on the road and must follow the same rules as other drivers. It is against the law for truckers, for instance, to text while driving. One second of inattention could have devastating consequences.