Overloaded Trucks

Overloaded trucks are one of the major causes of highway accidents on US highways.  Truck drivers operating on U.S. roadways face many hazards and dangers.  Truck drivers are at increased risk of road accidents due to lengthy driving periods, stress from tight schedules, driver fatigue, bad weather, and poor road conditions.  All these hazards become even more dangerous and deadly at night.  Overloaded trailers only compound an already perilous problem and make driving, controlling, and breaking a truck even more difficult.

Overloaded trucks pose many hazards to motorists and pedestrians on the road.  Some major problems that can occur due to overloaded, shifting loads, or improperly loaded trucks include:

• Flying debris
• Difficulty stopping
• Difficulty controlling the truck
• Jackknifing/overturning

According to a study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), weight plays a very important role in the control, maneuverability, and potential breaking power of a tractor-trailer.  The Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study or the TS&W study was conducted to assess the effect of size and weight on the ability of a truck driver to stay in control of a truck carrying different weight loads and the influence of cargo loads on the maneuverability of the truck. 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted the Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) to examine the reasons for serious crashes involving large trucks (trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds).  The study looked at 963 crashes involving 1,123 large trucks and 959 other motor vehicles.  The accidents resulted in 249 fatalities and 1,654 injuries.  Of the 1,123 large trucks in the study, 77 percent were tractors pulling a single semi-trailer, and 5 percent were trucks carrying hazardous materials.  Of the 963 crashes in the sample, 73 percent involved a large truck colliding with at least one other vehicle.

According to NHTSA’s estimate, there were approximately 120,000 fatal and injury crashes nationwide during the study period that involved at least one large truck; 141,000 large trucks were involved in those crashes.  Each of the 963 LTCCS study cases was assigned a sampling weight, which allows for national estimates of total fatal and injury truck crashes during the study period.

Have you or someone you know been involved in an accident with an overloaded truck? If so, contact one of our experienced truck accident lawyers in your area today!

Updated: LW

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Have you or someone you know been involved in an accident with an overloaded truck? If so, contact one of our experienced truck accident attorneys in your area today!