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The Dangers of Overweight Truck Accidents in Washington
Content Legally Reviewed By 
Matt Conner
Matt ConnerExperienced Accident and Injury Lawyers Fighting on Behalf of Truck Accident Victims across Washington
Commercial vehicles, compared to the average passenger vehicle, are incredibly heavy. In fact, they are 25 times heavier than a passenger car. When a passenger vehicle collides with such massive trucks, the results are traumatic, if not fatal.
Because of how large heavy trucks are, they cannot maneuver as fast as the average vehicle. Therefore, accidents are much more likely when the driver of the truck or the passenger vehicle make sudden moves.
How Do Trucks Lead to More Accidents on the Road in Washington?
Semi-trucks are often overloaded to account for demands on freight and limited talented drivers. Because of these overloaded trucks, the likelihood of an accident is much higher.
Just some dangers associated with these trucks at maximum capacity include:
- Excess weight means harder striking force. The more an object weighs, the harder it hits. This is just basic physics. When a semi-truck is at max capacity or overloaded, that truck will hit a passenger vehicle with much more force, which means serious injuries or an increased chance for fatalities.
- More weight means longer brake distances. When these semi-trucks are overloaded, the driver needs a greater range to bring that truck to a stop. When the overloaded semi-truck is driving at fast speeds, the requirement to stop only increases in distance. Therefore, there is a high chance that these trucks will have a catastrophic rear-end collision with a passenger car.
- More weight means a strain on the safety equipment in use. The more a truck has in the cargo area, the more pressure on brakes, engine, and tires. That means these components could reach their breaking point and stop working at the most inopportune and dangerous times on the road.
Who is Responsible when an Overweight Truck Leads to Accidents?
In this type of case, several parties could be at fault for the overloaded truck. For starters, the driver may be liable. The driver is responsible for ensuring that their load meets all transportation requirements and that the company loading their vehicle adheres to the maximum load capacity. Also, the company that packs and weighs the truck should be aware of the federal and state guidelines, as well as the maximum capacity of that truck.
Lastly, the employer could be at fault, especially if they encourage or knowingly allow overloading to get more cargo transported with fewer miles.
Speak with a Truck Accident Attorney Regarding Your Case
If you were involved in a catastrophic accident with a semi-truck, you might be entitled to compensation. Regardless of what might have caused the accident, you need a Washington truck accident lawyer ready to examine your case, identify potential defendants, and aggressively fight for your right to compensation.
Truck companies employ large law firms to defend them in accident cases. So, having access to a personal injury lawyer levels the playing field.
To explore your options for such, contact an injury attorney at Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner, PLLC today by calling 800-925-1875. You can also schedule a free, no-obligation consultation by sending us a message online.
About the Author
Matt Conner
Matt Conner has a proven track record of success. Following his graduation from Willamette University with a double major in mathematics and economics, Matt worked as an economist for the Office of Economic Analysis for the State of Oregon before moving onto working in mortgage banking and real estate. Although Matt would move on to law school shortly thereafter, his experience in the financial sector has provided him with valuable experience in how to achieve maximum compensation for his clients.
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