The Dangers of Large Trucks on the Missouri Highway

Overloaded Trucks and Trailers

A large commercial truck is one of the most dangerous vehicles on the highway and every year they are responsible for over 100,000 injuries and 5,000 fatalities. There are many reasons these large trucks pose such a threat to other drivers, but the number one reason is simply that they are substantially larger and heavier than all other passenger vehicles. This disparity is the reason that 98% of all fatalities occur to passengers in the other vehicle. An experienced semi tractor accident lawyer will be able to investigate and identify the causes of a truck accident.

Even though large trucks are already dangerous, many trucking companies and truck drivers actually make them more dangerous by overloading them. Overloaded trucks and trailers make driving, controlling and breaking even more difficult. In fact, overloading can cause the semi truck to jackknife or overturn more easily. When you factor in bad weather, driver fatigue and tight schedules, you have a recipe for disaster. A St. Louis overloaded truck accident lawyer will be able to determine if any of the above factors were at issue in your truck accident.

In addition to being more difficult to control, an overloaded truck can actually damage roads and bridges when they drive on them. In fact, one fully loaded big rig truck does as much damage to the road’s pavement as 9,600 cars. In addition, if an overloaded truck is not secured properly, flying debris can damage vehicles around them or become significant road hazards for other drivers.

What is the Legal Weight Limit?

A truck is legally allowed to weigh 80,000 pounds, and federal law prohibits trucks weighing over this amount. Even though it is legal, a big truck weighing 80,000 pounds poses a substantially greater risk to other vehicles. In fact, a fully loaded 80,000 pound truck is more than twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash than a truck that only weighs a mere 50,000 pounds. Unfortunately, even though trucking companies are aware of these statistics, many of them still routinely overload their trucks in an attempt to increase their profit margins. An experienced Missouri semi truck accident lawyer will be able to determine if the truck involved in your accident was overloaded. The lawyer does this by looking at paperwork the trucking company is required to keep.

If you or someone you love was injured in a Missouri trucking accident, it is important to contact a Missouri trucking accident attorney immediately. Page Law handles serious injury and death personal injury cases every day. Our attorneys are dedicated to understanding the intricacies involved in truck accident litigation. Contact us immediately for a free consultation. You will never pay any fees unless we recover money for you.

Please call (314) 322-8515 for an immediate response, or contact a St. Louis accident lawyer at Page Law by emailing: john@pagelaw.com.