Weight Law and Truck Accidents

Truck drivers are required to obey many more laws than the average car driver. This is because they are operating the largest vehicles on the road and can cause the most damage. A truck accident is often fatal and can cause much more injuries than a car accident.

One of the important regulations that truck drivers must follow pertains to weight limits. A truck that is over weight can cause many problems and accidents. Federal and local agencies have developed formulas regarding how much weight a truck can safely carry. This is one of the most important rules that new truck drivers learn.

When a truck is overweight it can damage the roads. Roads that were built to carry passenger cars cannot withstand the heavy tonnage of a large commercial truck. This is why many municipalities restrict trucks from their residential streets. They do not want trucks taking shortcuts through the town and tearing up roads that the local tax payers will have to rebuild.

A truck that is overweight can also be a hazard out on the road. A heavy load can shift and make the truck uncontrollable. It can throw the truck’s balance off as it climbs hills or goes around curves. The weighted down truck will also damage the highway surface, creating potholes and other hazards.

One of the most dangerous spots for an overweight truck is on a bridge. The US Dept. of Transportation came up with a rule regulating truck weight. Called the Federal Bridge Gross Weight Formula, it is also known as Bridge Formula B. It is a mathematical formula that calculates the appropriate maximum gross weight for a commercial truck. Some factors that determine it are axle spacing and truck length. The regulation is part of the federal interstate commercial traffic code.

The purpose of Bridge Formula B is to keep heavy trucks from damaging bridges and other roads. Bridges can be especially vulnerable to constant stress from heavy trucks. When a bridge collapses it can cost hundreds of lives and cause many injuries. One of the worst US bridge disasters happened in August of 2007 when the Interstate 35W Bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed. It was later determined that heavy construction trucks contributed to the bridge’s collapse.

A little over two weeks after the I35 W Bridge collapsed a truck that weighed 145,000 lbs over the weight limit crossed a small bridge in Washington State and collapsed it. Some believe that insufficient enforcement in recent years led truck drivers to believe that they could get away with pushing the weight limits.

Trucker drivers are routinely checked to ensure they are complying with the law. This check is done at weigh stations. These weigh stations can be found outside of cities, along toll roads, and on the border lines between states. Drivers and trucking companies must be diligent in keeping their trucks below the weight limits. Trucks that carry too much weight can ruin roads and cause accidents. They can also contribute to devastating bridge collapses.

This article should not be construed as legal advice.