The legal weight limit for an 18 wheeler is 80,000 pounds unless they have a special permit allowing them to weigh even more. A car averages somewhere between 4,000 to 5,000 pounds. Because of this difference, the difficulty of stopping a car vs. an 18-wheeler truck vary greatly. That difference could lead to an accident causing serious injuries or even death.
If this has happened to you, The San Antonio Truck Lawyers of Carabin Shaw Law Firm are here to help you. Our dedicated team of San Antonio Truck Lawyers understand the laws that truck drivers and their companies must follow. We will investigate your accident and guide you through the proper steps to help you get the compensation that you deserve.
How Trucks StopTrucks have 10 brakes and when decreasing speed rapidly. If a truck is traveling 55 mph, it takes a large truck two football fields to come to stop, which is 40% longer than the average car. The weight of the truck, road conditions, time of day and the road they are on all play a factor. If a truck is driving in the rain, snow, or ice it could take much, much longer for a truck to stop.
That is because the most dangerous situation for a truck driver is when traction is lost. This prevents the truck from responding to the driver trying to control it resulting in hydroplaning. This can result in a disastrous accident not only to those in front of a truck, but to those beside them, in their own lanes, as the truck may veer out of control.
Results of an AccidentAlong with stopping time, the difference in weight could mean the difference in the injuries sustained in a two car accident vs. an accident with an 18-wheeler truck. Because of the difference, more catastrophic injuries could result, and it leaves the driver/passengers of the other vehicle in the most danger. Let our San Antonio Truck Accident Lawyers help you get a fair and just compensation for those injuries if you’ve been hurt in such an accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident with a large commercial vehicle or an 18 wheeler, call our San Antonio Trucking Accident Lawyers at Carabin Shaw Law Firm. Our dedicated team of lawyers know the federal rules and regulations that truck drivers, and the trucking companies that employ them, must follow. Call us at 210-222-2288, day or night, for more information.