What Is 18 Wheeler Law?

Accidents that involve commercial truck drivers, their rigs, and 18 wheelers are covered under the 18 wheeler law. These massive vehicles are subject to strict federal guidelines regarding maintenance, safety, and training.

Unfortunately, trucking companies frequently force their drivers to work longer hours and alter log books. This can cause accidents that happen in trucks to be catastrophic.

Weight Regulations

It is crucial to know the weight limitations of semi trucks. Weight limits for single axles as well as group axles are set by the majority of states. Weigh stations are commonplace along interstates, and truckers are weighed to ensure that they don't exceed the maximum weight limits for their vehicle or load. If a trucker is caught breaking these limits and is found guilty, they may be fined and even put in jail depending on their criminal history and the state.

Axle groups are given a higher limit as distributing the weight over a wider range of axles makes the vehicle safer and 18 wheeler accident allows more cargo to be carried. A single tire on an wheel is only weighed up to 665 pounds per inch however, if two tires are mounted on the same axle, they can be weighed to 1300 pounds.

There are restrictions on the kind of trailers that can be used in conjunction with a tractor. Some states allow only one trailer while some states allow triple or twin trailers. Additionally, a lot of states require a fifth wheel on the trailer, which is a circular plate over the drive wheels that couples (hooks) the trailer to the tractor unit. There are both day cab tractor and sleeper cabs which include an area for sleeping inside the tractor unit. They are made to be used for hauling over the road.

Lane Restrictions

Truck drivers must obey traffic signals and speed limits in addition to lane restrictions. Trucks aren't permitted to drive at the same speed as cars for passengers. If they do, accidents are likely to occur. In most instances, it's the driver of the truck who is responsible. Truck drivers could be driving for longer than they are entitled to, ignoring the hours-of-service regulations or simply being asleep or distracted behind the driving.

Truck drivers are also prohibited from driving in the left lane. Trucks brake more slowly than passenger cars. This could result in a risky situation, especially for smaller cars that may get stuck behind trucks when they suddenly slow down or stop.

There are some states that specifically single out large trucks and prevent them from using the left lane. However, others limit the use of the lane only in certain circumstances. These laws can be based either on the weight of the vehicle or axel limits. In other cases they may be based solely on the vehicle description.

Even if there's no state-wide regulation on lane limits, you should still be aware of local rules and observe them. It is also recommended to move to the right if you spot trucks in the passing lane in order to not hinder faster cars from passing you.

Ownership

The trucking and 18-wheeler companies have an array of resources they can utilize to force accident victims into accepting less than what they're entitled to. They have teams of insurance adjusters and lawyers who work on their behalf before they even know whether the accident victim will take legal action.

Because they are able to carry enormous loads and are so much larger than passenger automobiles, 18 wheelers typically cause massive injuries and property damage when they are involved in accidents. This is especially so when they collide with other motor vehicles. It is important to hire an a seasoned attorney fight for your rights and recovery against these large, powerful corporations.

Accidents involving large trucks require an understanding of complex concepts in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology and federal trucking regulations medical standards, and driving. Our attorneys are able to find any violations of these laws, and then show the jury the factors that caused your accident.

18-wheeler truck crashes are typically caused by the negligent or reckless actions of multiple parties. Our NY 18 wheeler accident lawyer will investigate all of the responsible parties and ensure they pay their fair share of your current and anticipated expenses. This includes owners of trucking businesses, trucking companies and maintenance contractors, and even the drivers themselves. Our team will also examine the weather conditions that may have played a part in your accident.

Insurance

Trucking companies have an abundance of resources at their disposal and can quickly deploy teams of lawyers, insurance adjusters engineers, experts, and even engineers to develop a strategy for defense against accident victims. They begin this process before they know if you'll seek legal recourse. It is essential to find an attorney who is capable of matching their resources and helping them decrease in size.

An experienced 18 wheeler accident lawyer can take the burden of dealing with these corporations off your shoulders and concentrate on getting you the compensation you're due. This can be used to cover expenses such as high medical bills and vehicle damage, as well as lost wages due to missing work, and also non-economic damages like suffering and pain.

18 wheelers are complex vehicles that require high-end, consistent maintenance to ensure their safety on the road. Inability to keep detailed documents and carry out this maintenance can result in disastrous accidents.

Tractor-trailers can be used for transporting hazardous materials, which require special training and licenses. These materials could be explosive or flammable and radiological as well as poisonous. They all pose a significant risk to other drivers traveling on American highways. In the absence of proper labeling and secure the load could also result in a fatal accident.

A reputable 18 wheeler accident lawyer can pinpoint the exact cause of your crash and hold any responsible parties who are responsible. This could include the truck driver as well as the trucking company, the owner of the trailer, and the company that manufactures the truck or its components. This is known as vicarious liability.