Florida continues to rank high among states involving commercial or semi-truck accidents. Semi-truck accidents account for nearly 400,000 accidents each year among our nation’s roadways which result in nearly 4000 deaths. Many of the trucking accidents that occur on Florida roadways are a result of an overloaded truck: often times due to the truck driver’s negligence in failing to ensure the load was properly secured or within the well defined weight limit. Our Tampa Trucking Attorneys have litigated numerous cases involving semi-trucks and are familiar with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, as well as Florida laws that govern large trucks within our state. We are dedicated to representing individuals and families who have been injured as a result of a trucking accident.
Overloaded trucks are commonly involved in significant or even fatal accidents within Florida. The general gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight restriction is 80,000 pounds on most highways. However, truck drivers can, in some instances, obtain special permits to exceed those weight restrictions. The average car weighs between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds. The mass ratio between a semi-truck and standard motor vehicle can exceed 20 to 1.
Because overloaded trucks are a very real part of the commercial transportation industry in Florida, our attorneys understand the importance of determining the weight of the involved semi-truck, which includes the gross vehicle weight rating (the weight of the involved vehicle with all of its cargo and passengers, the empty weight and the weight of each axle). This information can be vital in establishing the force of the collision. It can also provide important information to determine if the truck driver was exceeding the load regulations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations at the time of the accident.
Should you have any questions regarding Florida trucking accidents and/or Florida trucking regulations, please contact us, your
Tampa Personal Injury Attorney.