What Is 18 Wheeler Law?

Accidents that involve commercial truck drivers, their rigs and 18 wheelers are covered under the law of 18 wheels. These huge vehicles are subject to federal regulations regarding maintenance, safety, and training.

Companies that transport trucks often force their drivers to work for longer and manipulate logbooks. This can lead to devastating trucking crashes.

Weight Regulations

It is essential to understand the weight restrictions for semi trucks. Weight limits for single axles and group axles are set by most states. It is commonplace to see weigh stations along interstates where truck drivers are weighed in order to make sure they aren't exceeding the maximum limits for their vehicle and load. If a trucker is found violating these limits and is found guilty, they may be fined or even imprisoned according to their criminal record and the state.

Axle groups are granted a higher limit as distributing the weight over more axles makes the vehicle safer and allows for more cargo to be transported. A single tire on a wheel can only weigh up to 700 pounds per inch, but when two tires are mounted on the same axle, it could be weighed up to 1300 pounds.

There are restrictions on the kind of trailers that can be used in conjunction with a tractor. Some states permit only one trailer while others only allow twin or triple trailers. Some states also require a fifth wheel on the trailer, which is a piece of metal that sits above the drive wheels and couples (hooks up) the trailer with the tractor unit. There are day cab tractors as well as sleeper cabs that incorporate a sleeping area inside the tractor unit. They are designed to haul over the road.

Lane Restrictions

In addition to lane restrictions truck drivers also must be aware of speed limits as well as traffic lights. Trucks aren't allowed to travel at the same speed as cars for passengers. If they do, accidents could occur. In a lot of cases, the truck driver is the culprit in these accidents. This is because truck drivers may be driving for longer than is permitted or break the rules of hours-of-service, or be distracted or sleepy behind the steering wheel.

Truck drivers are also forbidden from driving in the left lane. This is because it takes much longer for trucks to brake than passenger vehicles. This can be a serious issue, especially for those in cars that are smaller and could be stuck behind the truck when it stops abruptly or slows down.

There are states that specifically exclude large trucks and restrict them from using the left lane, and other states limit the use of the lane in certain circumstances. These laws may be based either on the weight of the vehicle or axel limits. In other instances they could be solely based on the vehicle description.

Even if there's no state-wide law regarding lane restrictions you should still check the local rules and observe the rules. Also, you should move to the left when you see trucks blocking the lane.

Ownership

The trucking and 18 wheeler accident attorneys-wheeler businesses have many resources they can utilize to force accident victims to accept less than what they are entitled to. They have teams of insurance adjusters, lawyers engineers, engineers, and experts who work on their behalf before they know if an accident victim will pursue legal recourse.

Because they carry huge loads and are larger than passenger vehicles, 18 wheelers often cause catastrophic injuries and enormous property damage when they are involved in accidents. This is especially true when these trucks collide with other motor vehicles. It is important to hire an an experienced attorney fight for your rights and recoveries against these powerful, massive corporations.

Accidents involving large vehicles require an in-depth understanding of the concepts in the fields of physics and biology, chemistry as well as federal regulations for trucking and medical practices, driving regulations and other related fields. Our lawyers are able to find violations of these laws and explain to the jury why it led to your accident.

18 wheeler accident-wheeler truck crashes are typically caused by the negligence or reckless acts of a number of parties. Our NY attorney for 18 wheeler accidents will investigate all responsible parties and ensure that they are paid their fair share of your current and expected costs. This includes trucking companies and owners, maintenance contractors and even the drivers themselves. Our team will also examine the weather conditions that could have played a part in the accident.

Insurance

The trucking industry has a wealth of options available and can quickly send teams of lawyers, insurance adjusters engineers, engineers, and experts to build a defense against accident victims. They start this process even before they are aware of whether you'll need legal recourse. It is crucial to hire an attorney who is capable of matching their resources and helping them decrease in size.

An attorney who has expertise in handling 18-wheeler accidents can ease the burden and help you obtain the compensation you're entitled to. This money can be used to pay medical expenses, vehicle damage and lost income due to missed work and other non-economic losses like suffering and pain.

18 wheelers are extremely complex vehicles and require high-level, systematic maintenance to ensure their safety on the road. Inability to keep detailed documents and carry out this maintenance can result in catastrophe-causing accidents.

Tractor-trailers can be used for transporting hazardous materials, which require specialized training and a license. The material may be explosive, flammable, radiological, or toxic, all of which present significant dangers to other drivers on American roads. A fatal accident could occur if the cargo is not properly labelled and secured.

A reputable 18 wheeler crash lawyer can determine the exact cause of your accident and liable for any party who may be responsible. This may include the driver of the truck, the trucking company, the owner or the trailer and the manufacturer of the truck and its components. This is called vicarious responsibility.