Poppe Law Firm®

Justice Plaza 8700 Westport Rd, Louisville, KY 40242

(502) 895-3400

(855) 864-8949

Heavy Trucks with a Heavy Cost

In 2018, nearly 5,000 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks. Since then, large truck fatalities have been on an incline for the last four years. Trucking companies sometimes try to overload trucks to make a particular delivery time or increase profits. When trucks are overloaded, performance on the vehicle drops dramatically. This includes drivers having to break quicker, be more cautious of inclines in the road, and uneven weight distribution of cargo. All of these factors only make everyone on the road at a higher risk for injury. In fact, in two-vehicle crashes between a large truck and a passenger motor vehicle, 96 percent of the fatalities were from the passenger vehicle. Heavier trucks are risking the lives of those around them just for a better profit.

Both state and federal laws have created weight restrictions to curb the amount of weight on a given truck. However, with a special permit, it is still possible to drive over the regulated weight amount. Currently, the Federal Highway Administration is encouraging states to adopt automated permit systems for the issuance of, “emergency permits to help expedite oversized or overweight vehicles needed in emergencies.” Meaning, more overloaded vehicles flooding the interstate system.

Outside of their death toll, these large, overloaded trucks also damage the infrastructure they drive. According to the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, an 18,000-pound truck axle does over 3,000 times more damage to pavement than a typical passenger vehicle axle. Additionally, a recent study found that if weight limits were to be increase, taxes on truckers would only pay half the damage they do to roads. Heavy trucks make average citizens pay in their roads, taxes, and lives.

With heavy trucks on the rise, more collisions will occur. The Poppe Law Firm® is experienced in handling trucking cases throughout Kentucky. If you happen to be involved in one of these collisions, call The Poppe Law Firm® at (502) 895-3400 or visit www.PoppeLawFirm.com.  

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