Overloaded or overweight trucks pose a roadway hazard and are a typical cause of accidents involving tractor-trailers. These collisions occur due to excessive cargo, improper loading, or deliberate violation of weight capacity guidelines.
You have the right to seek compensation when negligent actions cause you harm. Our skilled semi-truck collision attorneys are knowledgeable about overloaded/overweight truck accidents in Houston and can help.
What Are Typical Causes of Semi-Truck Crashes?
Trucks are overweight when they exceed the limitations provided by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. It is unlawful to surpass the limit without a permit. The regulations are in place to ensure roadway safety and prevent crashes.
Usually, you cannot tell if a big rig is out of compliance simply by looking at it. However, after a collision, our skilled attorneys can investigate and determine potential causes of an accident. Some reasons for collisions in Houston caused by overloaded/overweight trucks include:
Mechanical Failures
Mechanical failures are common for overweight trucks. Excessive weight strains the brakes, suspension systems, and other components, leading to mechanical failures or tire blowouts, which could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Driver Mistakes
Heavy commercial vehicles require skill to drive; excess weight can make the job more difficult. Heavier loads significantly reduce maneuverability, which increases the risk of a jackknife, rollover, or inability to stop, potentially leading to a crash.
Road and Weather Conditions
Curves, hills, and slippery roads are difficult to navigate even in an appropriately loaded truck. Overloaded trucks perform poorly in these conditions, which can make hydroplaning, skidding, or other accidents more likely.
If you suspect that your tractor-trailer wreck was caused by another person’s negligence, meet with our legal team to begin exploring your options for compensation.
Rollovers Caused by Overloaded Commercial Vehicles
Rollovers occur when a commercial vehicle, such as a tractor-trailer or tanker, tips over onto its side or roof, often due to instability. Exceeding state and federal weight limits usually plays a factor in a rollover crash.
Rollovers account for a large number of severe crashes involving commercial vehicles and are the cause of thousands of fatal crashes each year nationwide. Some common causes include:
- Unbalanced and shifting loads caused by unevenly distributed or unsecured cargo
- An overweight load, increasing the likelihood of tire blowouts and mechanical failures
- Truck driver errors, such as speeding on curves or overcorrecting, or the inability to stop in time
- Slippery surfaces, high winds, uneven roads, and other unfavorable road or environmental factors
- A high center of gravity combined with overloading, elevating the vehicle’s rollover threshold
Rollovers could crush nearby cars or eject their occupants, leading to severe, life-altering injuries or death. Wrecks in Houston caused by an overloaded or overweight truck can be serious, and the drivers and the industry as a whole must follow regulations to prevent them.
Talk to a Houston Lawyer About Overloaded/Overweight Truck Crashes
You have the right to hold a trucker, their company, or other related third parties accountable if their negligence led to an avoidable crash and caused you harm. Federal and state laws strictly regulate the trucking industry, including the maximum weight and capacity of heavy commercial vehicles.
Our attorneys have experience with overloaded/overweight truck accidents in Houston. If you suffered injuries in a semi-truck crash, please call us today so we can help you explore your options for compensation.