• 05
  • October
    2011

The United States Congress is currently debating whether or not to increase the allowed weight of trucks transporting goods across the country and through Georgia. Allowing an increase in weight, would of course allow truck drivers to carry more cargo in one load. Currently, trucks are limited to a gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds. Congress is considering raising that limit to 97,000 pounds.

The Georgia Motor Trucking Association sees good points and bad points in the new legislation. But, interstate safety advocates warn that larger loads mean greater damage to highways and greater damage to individuals who may be involved in a Georgia truck accident.

The History Behind Georgia Truck Accidents

From 2004 to 2009, there were over 3,500 deaths related to truck accidents. Making trucks even larger, heavier obstacles traveling at speeds upward of 70 mph will do little if anything to bring that number down.

In order to maintain the current stopping distance, on-road handling and distribution of weight-per-tire, trucks would have to be outfitted with a sixth axle. But, the Coalition for Transportation Productivity believes that the axle addition and weight limit change would allow U.S. truck drivers to remain competitive on a global scale without sacrificing current safety standards.

The Truck Safety Coalition counters that the dangers to others on the road outweigh any potential benefits of increased semi-truck loads. Larger, heavier trucks are more prone to rolling over during a crash, creating an even larger road hazard by potentially blockading traffic and/or impeding cleanup. More importantly, the risk of serious injury or death in a truck accident increases with each ton over 80,000 pounds.

The gravity of the issue is not just the weight of the trucks themselves, but the threat that any increased weight poses to other drivers on the road if involved in a Georgia truck accident. Serious injuries often result when a huge semi-truck collides with a sedan, SUV or other passenger vehicle.

Source: Georgia Public Broadcasting, "Safety, Industry Collide On Truck Weight," 27 September, 2011