Under federal law, tractor-trailers traveling on interstate highways or across state lines on other routes cannot have a total weight across their cab, trailer, and cargo combined. When a vehicle exceeds 80,000 pounds, it is given a gross vehicle weight rating. There are also federal restrictions on trucks placing more than 20,000 pounds of weight on any single axle or more than 34,000 pounds of weight on any tandem axle group.
While truck drivers and trucking companies can apply for special permits allowing them to carry oversized loads within state lines along pre-approved routes, the vast majority of trucks with heavier loads are illegally overweight. If you were recently injured in an overloaded/overweight truck accident in St. Louis, the truck injury attorneys at McCready Law may be able to help you secure compensation.
Modern tractor-trailers are designed to transport immense amounts of cargo safely and securely. However, like any machine, there is an upper limit to how much stress the individual components of a tractor-trailer can take before they become worn down to an unsafe degree. This could occur by warping in a way that compromises their structural integrity, or by suddenly breaking while the truck is in motion.
Furthermore, as a truck gets heavier, it takes longer to slow down when the brakes are applied, meaning it is more likely to tip over during sharp or high-speed turns. It also generates more force in the event of a collision. While both federal and state laws governing commercial vehicle weight limits are meant to reduce risk factors that cause truck wrecks in St. Louis, they do not always ensure safety on the roads..
Sometimes, civil fault for accidents in St. Louis caused by dangerously overweight trucks lies with the individual driver operating as an independent contractor. A supplier who failed to properly weigh or secure cargo, or a shipping yard worker who hooked the wrong trailer up to the wrong cab, could also be held liable. Generally, though, the primary party to blame for this sort of incident is the company that owns and operates the truck involved. More often than not, these companies push their drivers to knowingly break the law in order to save time and money on routes.
Unfortunately, many companies that engage in such behavior also break the law by altering, hiding, or even destroying written records of their misconduct. Some even instruct their drivers to complete false manifests and driver log entries to cover their tracks. Support from skilled legal counsel can be essential to uncovering these unlawful acts and building a civil claim despite obstacles like these.
Even with a legal amount of cargo on board, a tractor-trailer can still be heavy enough to cause catastrophic damage to anything and anyone it collides with. Violations of federal or state weight limits just make wrecks like this that much more likely.
You have support available when demanding fair financial restitution for the harm you suffered in an overloaded/overweight truck accident in St. Louis. Call the compassionate legal team at McCready Law today to discuss your options.
