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Commercial vehicles are significantly larger than a typical passenger car or pickup truck and operate in a distinctly different manner. While a passenger car generally weighs 5000 pounds or less, a big rig can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. Understanding big rigs requires an examination of how they operate.
A tractor-trailer’s gross axle weight rating is the maximum weight an axle is designed to carry. The suspension type, the number of wheels per axle, and suggested tire ratings can all affect the gross axle weight rating. The gross axle weight is the weight of the load that a particular axle supports. An axle rating should never be exceeded for the axle Period.
The gross vehicle weight rating or (GVWR), is the maximum cargo weight plus the vehicle weight which a big rig is designed to accommodate. The gross combined weight rating is the maximum combined safe weight that the tractor-trailer can accommodate. Many people mistakenly believe that adding the gross vehicle weight rating of the tractor and the trailer gives the combined total for the vehicle. That is not the case, however.
In today’s trucking industry, big rigs are assembled from components from various manufacturers. The largest truck manufacturers for the United States market include Navistar, Freightliner, Peterbilt, Mack, Kenworth, and Volvo. Trainers can come from various manufacturers, and motor carriers are striving to balance truck weight and cargo care efficiency.
Transporting materials by large trucks is essential to the American economy and is a significant part of our economic system. The importance of getting products and materials from one point to another, both timely and economically, can’t be overstated.
As you probably know, most big rigs are powered by diesel fuel; however, many large companies, particularly those whose truck business is centered in a fixed local area, are converting their big rigs to natural gas to achieve more economical results.
One of the most critical areas of concern regarding the safety of a tractor-trailer is its braking system. While significant advances have been made in the braking systems of 18-wheelers, it remains a fact that a large truck takes much longer to stop than a passenger car or pickup truck. Commercial vehicles are typically outfitted with air brakes to stop the heavy vehicles. It is the combination of tractor brakes and trailer brakes working together that safely stops a big rig.
As part of an ongoing safety requirement, commercial drivers are required to inspect their vehicles before commencing any trip. This is called a pre-trip inspection and is similar to the checklist a pilot may review before taking off. Checking the air brakes is one of the items that must be checked before the big truck is put on the highway. Unfortunately, many professional drivers tend to gloss over the pre-trip inspection in an effort to get on the highway as quickly as possible.
Because a semi-truck is so much heavier than the other traffic around it, the potential for devastating injuries in an accident is always present. It does not take much in the way of speed to result in incapacitating injuries from a big rig accident.
Contact a truck accident lawyer in Houston, TX, for a consultation regarding your accident.
Related Resources:
Facts You Should Know About Semi Trucks
What are the Monetary Limits in Truck Crash-Personal Injury Cases?
