Truck Accidents Caused by Height and Weight Violations
Truck accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, but when trucking accidents happen because a trucking company violated height and weight limits on its semi-truck, then you should be able to recover for your injuries, lost wages, and other costs.
Attorney Brian Steed Tatum has years of experience in helping North Carolina and South Carolina’s injured drivers and their families deal with the devastating consequences of commercial truck accidents. He puts his experience to work for each client to ensure that injured clients receive the compensation they deserve.
Height and Weight Limitations
The commercial motor vehicle, or trucking industry, is highly regulated. Height and weight restrictions are imposed by federal and state regulations to keep all motorists safe. Commercial trucking companies and truck drivers must adhere to strict federal and state guidelines that are designed to protect other vehicles on the road. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is responsible for ensuring that states are in compliance with federal standards and that commercial motor vehicles abide by the federal size and weight regulations.
As there are no federal commercial motor vehicle height requirements, each state sets its own height restrictions for commercial motor vehicles. In North Carolina and South Carolina, the height limit for trucks is 13’6’’ without an oversized permit. Height restrictions are imposed not only for motorists’ safety but also for the safety of state roadways. Trucks that do not follow height limitations run the risk of causing damages to state property. If a truck trailer gets stuck because it exceeds the height limitations, then it can cause an accident with smaller passenger vehicles.
National weight standards apply to trucks on the Interstate Highway System, which is a 40,000-mile system of limited access and divided highways that cross the nation. Excluding the Interstate Highway System, the states set their commercial vehicle weight standards.
Federal maximum weight standards for commercial vehicles are as follows:
- Single Axle: 20,000 lbs
- Tandem Axle: 34,000 lbs
- Gross Vehicle Weight: 80,000 lbs
In North Carolina, the gross maximum weight standard for a commercial motor vehicle is 80,000 lbs; however, with an oversized permit, the maximum gross weight standard is 94,500 lbs.
In South Carolina, the gross maximum weight standard for a commercial motor vehicle is 80,000 lbs; however, with an oversized permit, the maximum gross weight standard is 90,000 lbs.
The gross weight is the maximum allowable total weight of the commercial motor vehicle including the tractor, chassis and container weight, and the cargo weight.
North Carolina and South Carolina Truck Accident Attorney
Size and speed make commercial motor vehicles dangerous, even deadly, when involved in an accident on the highway. Motorists in passenger vehicles or on a motorcycles can be severely or fatally injured in these types of accidents. If a trucking company has failed to follow state or federal guidelines regarding the height and weight limits of its commercial motor vehicles, the company can potentially be responsible for compensating the victims for their injuries.
At the Tatum Law Firm, we are determined to ensure that you receive the maximum compensation allowed by law. We are available to discuss the merits of your claim and offer guidance in order to pursue legal recourse. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a semi-truck collision, contact our offices at (704) 307-4350 or online for a free case evaluation.