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Seattle Truck Accident Lawyer Discusses Overweight Truck Crashes

This week we covered a trucker protest at the Port of Seattle – over 300 truckers have stopped working because they say their employer is forcing them to take on unsafe loads and putting everyone on Washington roads into danger. More specifically, the truck drivers say that they are often pressured to take on overweight cargo – something that is both illegal and dangerous. Research into the matter found that 7 of 15 Port of Seattle trucks inspected by Washington police over a single day were over the legal weight limit.

How can overweight cargo lead to more Washington truck accidents? Here are four main reasons:

More weight means more force. The heavier a truck is, the harder that it will strike objects. This means that an oversized truck will cause serious injury and possibly even death during an accident more often than a truck that weighs within the legal amount.
More weight means more room needed to brake. The heavier a load, the more time and distance it takes to bring that load to a stop. That means an overweight truck has a greater chance of rear-ending the vehicle in front of it or becoming involved in a collision that it would otherwise avoid.
More weight means more stress on equipment. Trucks are built to withstand only a certain amount of weight. Loading a tractor-trailer with an illegal amount of weight puts significant stress on the brakes, engine, tires, and other vital parts of the truck. This could cause equipment failure and truck accidents.
More weight means more road damage. Heavy trucks will tear up asphalt, create ruts, and damage pavement. These road condition issues can lead to expensive repairs and traffic accidents.

If you have been involved in a Washington truck accident that you believe may have involved an overweight truck – or any other federal trucking violation – you should speak to a legal expert immediately. The Seattle truck accident lawyers at the Andrew Kim Law Firm can examine the details of your case and help you determine whether or not you should fight for compensation. Call today for a free, private consultation.