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Is an 18 Wheeler Legal? There are a lot of accidents in the car that result in physical and medical costs as well as time away from work. However, when an 18 wheeler gets involved it can be much more serious. Victims can make a claim and receive financial compensation if this happens. This is where an attorney from New Orleans truck accident attorney can help. Weight Limits In general 18 wheelers are able to carry 80,000 pounds, including the weight of cargo. This is a very strict limitation that requires trucking companies to pack their vehicles with full capacity and could lead to overloaded. Truck drivers who exceed the limit could be penalized. The fines vary depending on where they reside. You can tell when an 18 wheeler is going over the limit by looking at their lights. A single flash from their blinkers signifies that it's safe to merge the front of them, whereas high beams or multiple flashes indicate that it's not. Be on the lookout for truck drivers who also use their lights to communicate with each other. It is important to leave a significant gap between your vehicle and an 18-wheeler, especially when you are passing. If you cut off the truck, it could cause fatal crashes. Car drivers are the cause of 72 percent of crashes involving vehicles and trucks. Number of Axles As opposed to cars, semi-trucks have multiple axles to rotate the wheels. The typical truck has four axles, including the steer and drive axles, whereas trailers usually have two tandem axles. It is important to keep in mind that these vehicles are much bigger than the average passenger car. Axle weight limitations are based on a number of factors, including the Federal Bridge Formula and the legal limits set by each state for single axles as well as axle groups. The state limit may be higher than the Federal limit that is why it is vital for truckers to be aware of the federal and state axle weight limits prior to traveling. The process of transporting freight is already difficult enough but adding weight can increase the risk of an accident. A trucker who overloaded his trailer is in violation of law and could be held accountable for any injuries resulting from. A truck accident lawyer will determine if the driver of an 18-wheeler was negligent and was the cause of the accident in case you were injured. Speed Limits Speeding is a major cause of truck accidents, as every driver knows. This is particularly true for large trucks, which are more likely to crash due to their size and weight. Truckers must therefore observe speed limits on all roads they travel. However truck drivers are usually under pressure to deliver quick deliveries and may not be able slow down enough to meet the conditions. This can cause drivers be reckless drivers, which could cause harm to other drivers. It is possible to lower the risk of these accidents by using speed limiters. This device automatically restricts the speed of a car to a safe speed. It can be put in on a variety of types. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is studying an amendment to the rulebook that would require truckers to use these devices. 18 wheeler accident lawsuit st louis has released a new notice of proposed rulemaking, in order to collect feedback on the proposed rule. Previous proposals have discussed limit truck speeds to 60 to 65 or the speed limit of 68 miles per hour. Insurance The majority of private car owners buy one insurance policy to cover their personal vehicles. Truckers however, don't own the trucks they drive. They rent their 18-wheelers instead from a trucking firm. Trucking companies need higher limits of liability insurance since commercial vehicles are more risky. In addition, they can purchase cargo and bobtail coverage for their vehicles. Cargo insurance protects the cargo that a semi transports and bobtail insurance safeguards the truck once it has delivered its load. In the event of a wreck such policies can assist to compensate grieving family members for the losses they suffered. Maintenance It's not always easy to get an accurate estimation of maintenance costs for commercial vehicles. It is expensive to maintain and repair, especially when major repairs are needed. However, some trucking companies provide maintenance schedules that give an estimate of the overall cost of maintaining the vehicle. Trucks come with ten brakes instead of 18 and anti-lock break breaks are now standard on new trucks. Trucks take around 40% longer to stop than a car. This is due in part to the large dimensions of an 18-wheeler as well as its speed increase the stopping distance. The term “eighteen wheeler” has become synonymous with trucking. It's even used in country music songs like the Red Sovine titles “Giddyup Go” and “Teddy Bear” and thrash metal band BigRig's track “Roll on”. It is nevertheless important to remember that these vehicles are not home on the road and they must follow the same rules as other drivers. For instance, it's illegal for truck drivers to text while driving because the split second of inattention could have deadly consequences.