The trucking industry is essential both to the Texas economy and the nation’s supply chain. Texas residents rely on the goods and services brought by 18-wheelers and other large, commercial vehicles, including box trucks, buses, and even garbage trucks. Unfortunately, these large trucks far outweigh and outsize standard family cars, leaving motorists vulnerable to serious, catastrophic, or fatal injuries in accidents.
Before sharing the road with trucks, it’s helpful to understand some basic facts about large commercial vehicles.
Contact a truck accident attorney in Laredo to schedule a free consultation — call (956) 489-1300 today.
Understanding the Size and Weight of Commercial Vehicles Like 18-Wheelers
Commercial freight vehicles like 18-wheelers cross state lines, leaving them subject to regulation by the Federal Commercial Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). FMCSA puts regulations in place to limit the weight of a fully loaded truck.
Semi tractor-trailer trucks, or 18-wheelers, have an average length of 70-80 feet and five axles. They may legally weigh up to 80,000 pounds when loaded, with some exceptions for wide loads and hazardous material haulers. Garbage trucks may weigh up to 51,000 pounds when loaded.
These weight limits protect the roadways from wear and tear, but do little to protect vulnerable motorists in smaller cars weighing only an average of 4,000 pounds. In an accident with a fully loaded 18-wheeler, a car is outweighed by about 76,000 pounds.
18-Wheelers Are More Likely to Tip and Roll Than Other Vehicles
Large commercial vehicles like 18-wheelers and box trucks are substantially higher than typical cars and pickup trucks. A standard 18-wheeler is 13’6”. Unfortunately, lane size restrictions mean that truck engineers cannot widen the wheel base enough to balance the extended height of the vehicle, making it top-heavy. For this reason, 18-wheelers, box trucks, and other commercial vehicles are more likely to experience tip-overs and rollovers during accidents.
In the case of a truck tipping and injuring you or a loved one, contact our Laredo personal injury attorneys to pursue compensation.
The Balance and Stability of Cargo Impact Commercial Truck Safety
Few motorists consider what is inside a commercial vehicle’s trailer when these trucks crowd them on congested roadways. However, FMCSA regulations require truck cargo to be well-balanced and properly secured by the appropriate securing devices for the cargo type. This is because a suddenly-shifting load can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle due to a “fishtailing” trailer or a cab that’s pushed forward or sideways by loose cargo shifting forward.
18-Wheelers and Commercial Trucks Experience a Higher Percentage of Accidents
Despite commercial carrier trucks making up only 10% of all vehicle miles traveled, 9% of vehicles involved in accidents are large commercial trucks like 18-wheelers. There were 5,375 fatal crashes involving commercial trucks in 2023. In those accidents, 70% of injuries and fatalities occurred to motorists in other vehicles.
Large 18-wheeler trucks require 30%-40% more stopping distance than typical cars and pickup trucks, making them more likely to experience accidents like rear-end collisions and jackknife accidents, which occur when improper braking causes the trailer to come out of alignment with the truck, pushing the truck forward and sideways into a crash shaped like a partly open jackknife.
Finally, trucks also need more space for safety than standard cars. Commercial trucks, such as 18-wheelers, make wide turns and have extended blind spots on both sides of the vehicle.