Is an 18 Wheeler Legal?
Numerous car accidents occur and can result in medical bills, physical damage and time away from work. But, if an homestead 18 wheeler accident lawsuit (vimeo.com) wheeler is involved it can be a lot more grave.
When this happens, victims are able to file a claim for financial compensation. A New Orleans truck accident lawyer can help.
Weight Limits
In general 18 wheelers are able to carry up to 80,000lbs which includes the weight of cargo. This is a very tight limit that requires trucking firms to load their vehicles to the maximum extent possible, which can result in overloading. If a truck driver exceeds this limit, they may be penalized, and the penalties vary depending on the place of operation.
You can usually tell if an 18-wheeler is over the limit by looking at their lights. If their blinkers flash only once it is safe to merge ahead of them. High beams and flashes with multiple flashes aren’t. Be on the lookout for truck drivers who also use their lights as a way to communicate with each other.
Always leave a good distance between your vehicle and an 18-wheeler. This is crucial when passing. If you cut off the truck, it could lead to a fatal crash. Car drivers are the primary cause of 72 percent of crashes involving trucks and cars.
Number of Axles
Semi-trucks, like cars, require multiple axles to rotate the wheels. The typical truck has four axles, which includes the steer and drive axles, while trailers typically have two tandem axles. This can make them much longer than a typical passenger vehicle, and it’s important to be aware of this when driving in the vicinity of one of these vehicles.
Axle weight limits are determined by a variety of factors that include the Federal Bridge Formula, and the single axle and axle group legal limit set by each state. State limits may be higher than federal limits, so it is important for truckers to check both before traveling.
The process of transporting freight is enough to be difficult and adding additional weight increases the risk of an accident. When truckers overload their trailer is in violation of the law and may be held accountable for resulting injuries. A lawyer for truck accidents can determine if the driver of an 18-wheeler was negligent and the reason for the accident in case you were injured.
Speed Limits
Speeding is a major cause of truck accidents, which every driver knows. This is particularly the case for larger trucks, which are much more likely to crash due to their weight and size. Therefore, it is essential for truckers to adhere to the speed limits for every route they travel.
However truck drivers are often forced to make deliveries in a hurry and may not be able to slow down enough to meet the conditions. This can cause drivers take risks when driving, which could be fatal for other drivers.
It is possible to decrease the chance of these accidents by using speed limiters. This is a device which will automatically limit the speed of a vehicle to a safe speed, and it can be installed in various types of trucks.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is examining an updated rule that would require truckers to use these devices. The agency has released a new notice of proposed rulemaking to get feedback on the proposed rule. In earlier proposals it was suggested that truck speeds should be limited to 60 or 65 miles per hour.
Insurance
The majority of private car owners buy a single insurance policy to protect their personal vehicles. Truckers however do not own the vehicles they drive. Instead, they rent their 18-wheelers from a trucking company. Because of the heightened perils associated with commercial vehicles trucking companies generally require higher liability insurance limits. They can also purchase cargo and bobtail insurances for their vehicles. Cargo insurance covers the cargo that semi-trucks transport. Bobtail insurance covers the truck after it has delivered its load. In the event of an accident these policies can be used to compensate grieving family members for their losses.
Maintenance
It’s difficult to come up with an accurate estimate of maintenance costs for commercial vehicles. This is because commercial vehicles are extremely expensive to repair and maintain particularly when they require major repairs. However, some trucking companies provide maintenance schedules that give an estimate of the overall cost of maintaining the vehicle.
Trucks have ten brakes instead of 18 and anti-lock break breaks are nowadays standard on all new boston 18 wheeler accident attorney trucks. In general, trucks take 40 percent longer than a normal car to stop. This is due to the huge dimension and speed of an marshall 18 wheeler accident attorney-wheeler.
The term “eighteen wheeler” has become synonymous with trucking. It’s even used in country music songs like the Red Sovine titles “Giddyup Go” and “Teddy Bear” and the thrash metal group BigRig’s song “Roll on”. It is important to keep in mind that these trucks aren’t driving on the streets and must follow the same guidelines as other drivers. For example, it is illegal for truckers to text while driving because the slightest mistake could have deadly consequences.