What Is 18 Wheeler Law?
Accidents involving commercial truck drivers, their rigs and 18 wheelers are covered by the law of 18 wheels. These massive vehicles must follow strict federal guidelines for maintenance security, safety, and training.
Trucking companies often make their drivers to work for longer and alter logbooks. This can lead 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 determined by the majority of states. It is common to see weigh stations along interstates where truck drivers are weighed to verify that they do not exceed maximum weight limit for their vehicle and load. If a trucker is caught breaking these limits and is found guilty, they may be fined and even sent to jail depending on their criminal record and the state.
Axle groups are granted a higher limit as distributing the weight across more axles increases the safety of the vehicle and allows for more cargo to be transported. A single tire on a wheel can only be weighed up to 650 pounds per inch, however, when two tires are on the same axle, it can be weighed to 1300 pounds.
There are restrictions on the types of trailers which can be used with a tractor. Some states permit only one trailer while others only permit triple or twin trailers. A lot of states also require a fifth-wheel on the trailer that is a plate that sits over the drive wheels and couples (hooks up) the trailer with the tractor unit. There are both day cab tractors and sleeper cabs which include sleeping areas inside the tractor unit and are designed for over-the-road hauling.
Lane Restrictions
In addition to limitations on lane width, truck drivers must also comply with speed limits and traffic lights. Trucks cannot drive at the same speed as passenger vehicles, and when they do, they might cause accidents. In most cases the truck driver is the one at fault in these accidents. Truck drivers could be driving longer than they are allowed to, breaking hours-of-service regulations or be asleep or distracted behind the steering wheel.
Truck drivers are also forbidden from driving in the left the lane. Trucks are slower to brake than passenger cars. This can pose a danger issue, especially for those in cars that are smaller and could be stuck behind a truck when it slows or stops abruptly.
Certain states specifically target large trucks and prevent them from using the left lane, whereas others restrict the use of the lane under specific situations. In certain cases the laws are built around axel and weight limits, whereas in others, they may be based on vehicle descriptions or directions.
Even if there is no law that is statewide, you should check local rules about the lane restriction and adhere to the rules. You should also shift to the left if you spot trucks in the passing lane so that it does not hinder faster cars from passing you.
Ownership
The trucking and 18-wheeler companies have a wealth of resources to use in order to force accident victims into accepting less than they're entitled. They have teams of lawyers, insurance adjusters engineers, experts, and even engineers that work on their behalf even before they know whether the victim of the accident will pursue legal action.
Because they carry huge loads and are so much larger than passenger vehicles, 18 wheelers frequently cause massive injuries and property damage in accidents. This is especially so when they collide with other motor vehicles. It is important to have a seasoned attorney fight for your rights and recoveries against these massive, powerful corporations.
Accidents involving large trucks require a thorough understanding of concepts in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, federal trucking regulations, medical standards, and driving. Our lawyers can find any violations of these laws, and present to the jury the circumstances that caused your accident.
18-wheeler truck accidents are often caused by the careless or reckless actions of several parties. Our NY 18-wheeler accident lawyer will investigate the parties accountable and ensure that they are responsible for your present and future costs. This includes owners of trucking companies, trucking companies of maintenance contractors, even the drivers themselves. Our team will also examine weather conditions that might have played a role in the accident.
Insurance
Trucking companies can put together large teams of lawyers, adjusters, engineers and experts quickly. They begin this process before they know if you'll seek legal recourse. This is why it's vital to immediately hire an experienced attorney who can match their resources and bring them down to size.
An experienced 18 wheeler crash lawyer can relieve the burden of dealing with these corporations off your hands and focus on obtaining the compensation you deserve. The money could be used to pay for expenses like steep medical bills and vehicle damage, as well as loss of wages due to absence from work, and non-economic damages like suffering and pain.
18 wheelers are highly complex vehicles and require high-end, systematic maintenance to keep them safe on the road. Failure to do this maintenance and maintain detailed records could result in devastating accidents.
Tractor-trailers often are used to transport hazardous substances, that require special training and licensing. This material can be explosive, flammable, radiological, or poisonous, all of which present significant dangers to other drivers on American roads. A catastrophic accident could also occur if the cargo is not properly labeled and secured.
A skilled 18-wheeler crash lawyer can determine the exact cause of the accident and pinpoint any parties who are responsible. 18 wheeler accident settlement hayward could include the driver of the truck and the trucking company, the owner of the trailer, and the manufacturer of the truck or its components. This is known as vicarious liability.