Accidents involving tractor-trailers result in far more serious injuries and loss of life than collisions involving only passenger vehicles. Physics works against them in large trucks because they are larger and heavier than cars. When you add overloaded trucks to the mix, you have an even greater risk of unwanted results.
If you are injured in a tractor-trailer accident, a california truck accident attorney can help you go after the at-fault party for the compensation you need to rebuild your life. Let’s talk about some of the dangers of overloaded trucks in California.
Why does truck weight matter?
The heavier the truck, the more time and distance it takes to slow down and stop. Also, the heavier a truck is, the more force it exerts when it hits something. There are laws that govern the maximum weight of trucks on California roads, but some people flout those rules, betting they won’t get caught.
Many weigh stations are temporarily or permanently closed. In addition, a savvy truck driver can take a route that avoids weigh stations or travel during off hours when the stations are closed.
improperly loaded cargo
Another issue related to the weight of the cargo is whether the cargo was loaded correctly. When the load is too heavy, it can be difficult to operate the truck safely. If the load is not balanced properly, the truck may lose control and roll over when traveling at high speed on a curvy road.
Also, cargo needs to be secured to prevent the load from shifting during transit. If the cargo shifts, this can cause the tractor-trailer to fishtail or lose control in some other way.
loss of cargo
A truck may lose some of its cargo in transit, especially if the truck is pulling an open bed trailer. Improperly secured cargo can fly off the bed into the roadway when the tractor-trailer makes a sharp turn. If the cargo is too heavy to secure mechanisms, the equipment may break or fail while freeing the cargo from the tractor-trailer bed.
If these things happen when the truck is traveling downhill, the cargo can fly forward, crash into the cab, and injure or kill the tractor-trailer driver. On flat or uphill roads, occupants of any vehicle behind a tractor-trailer can be struck by the flying, heavy cargo, often with fatal consequences.
California Highways and Overweight Cargo
Overloaded or improperly loaded cargo on large trucks can be dangerous anywhere, but the unique conditions we find on California highways can make this situation even more deadly. In some cities, our roads and highways are jammed with traffic almost 24 hours a day.
In the east and west parts of our state, there are mountains at the bottom. With mountains, you can have high wind, snow and hairpin turns. When a tractor-trailer struggles to travel through steep climbs in the mountains, an unsecured or improperly loaded cargo can be an accident waiting to happen. In the valleys, we have the famous fog. Any of these situations can be dangerous with an overloaded truck.
A California personal injury attorney will be happy to talk with you about your case if you were injured in an accident that was someone else’s fault. We are happy to provide a free no obligation consultation. contact our office today to help you with your case.