7 Things About 18-Wheeler Wreck Lawyer You'll Kick Yourself For Not Knowing

Is an 18 Wheeler Legal?

Many car accidents occur and result in physical injury, medical bills and time away from work. If an 18-wheeler is involved it can be even more dangerous.

When this happens, victims can file a claim to receive financial compensation. This is where an attorney from New Orleans truck accident attorney can assist.

Weight Limits

18-wheelers can only carry up to 80,000 pounds including the volume and weight of cargo. This is a strict limit that requires trucking firms to load their vehicles to the maximum extent possible and could result in overloaded. If a trucker exceeds this limit, they may be fined, which varies depending on the location.

If you examine the lights of an 18-wheeler, you’ll be able to tell if they’re over the speed limit. A single flash of their blinkers suggests that it’s safe to merge in the front of them, whereas flashes that are high or multiple indicate that it’s not. Be on the lookout for truck drivers who use their lights to communicate.

Always leave plenty of space between your vehicle, and an 18-wheeler. This is crucial when you are passing. If you cut off the truck, it could lead to an unfatal crash. Car drivers are at fault for 72 percent of crashes involving vehicles and trucks.

The number of Axles

Semi-trucks, unlike cars, require multiple axles to rotate the wheels. The typical truck has four axles, which includes the drive and steer axles, whereas trailers usually have two tandem axles. This can make them much longer than a typical passenger vehicle and it’s essential to keep this in mind when driving in the vicinity of one of these vehicles.

Axle weight limitations are based on a number of factors, such as the Federal Bridge Formula and the legal limits set by each state for single axles and axle groups. State limits can be higher than federal limits, therefore it is crucial for truckers and drivers to be aware of prior to travel.

Hauling standard freight shipments isn’t difficult enough however, adding extra weight increases the risk of accidents. When truckers overload their trailer they are in breach of the law and may be held responsible for consequences of the injuries. A truck accident lawyer can determine if the operator of an 18 wheeler accident lawyer-wheeler was negligent and the reason for the accident if you were injured.

Speed Limits

For any driver, speeding is among the most common causes of truck accidents. This is particularly applicable to large trucks, which are much more likely to crash due to their size and weight. For this reason, it is essential for truckers to observe the speed limits on every road they travel on.

Truck drivers are often under pressure to make quick delivery and may not be able slow down enough to suit the conditions. This can cause drivers to be reckless drivers, which could cause harm to other drivers.

Speed limiters can reduce the risk of accidents. This device automatically reduces the speed of a car to a safe limit. It can be installed on a variety of different types of.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is examining an amendment to the rulebook that will require truckers to utilize these devices. The agency has released a new notice of proposed rulemaking to get feedback on the idea. Previous proposals have discussed limit truck speeds to 60, 65, or even the speed limit of 68 miles per hour.

Insurance

Most private vehicle owners buy one insurance policy to cover all their vehicles. Truckers however do not own the trucks they drive. They rent their 18-wheelers instead from a trucking company. Because of the higher risk that come with commercial vehicles, trucking companies usually require higher liability insurance limits. In addition, they can purchase cargo and bobtail insurance for their vehicles. Cargo insurance protects the freight that semi-trucks transport. Bobtail insurance protects the truck once it has delivered its load. In the event of a wreck the policies could help to compensate victims or grieving family members for their losses.

Maintenance

It is often difficult to obtain an accurate estimate of the maintenance costs for commercial vehicles. The maintenance costs for trucks are high and repair, especially when major repairs are required. However some trucking companies offer maintenance schedules which provide an estimate of the overall cost of maintaining the vehicle.

Trucks typically have 10 brakes, not 18, and anti-lock brakes are now standard in newer vehicles. They take about 40 percent longer to stop than a car. This is due to the huge dimensions and the speed of an 18-wheeler.

The term «eighteen wheeler» has become synonymous with trucking and is even featured 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 remember that these trucks aren’t all times on the roads and must obey the same rules as other drivers. It is against the law to permit truckers, for instance to text while driving. A single second of inattention could result in fatal consequences.