How Truck Weigh Stations Keep Drivers Safe

December 17, 2019

Structural Road Safety
Vehicular Safety

Trucks that drive on the interstates often come across signs along the highway with “weigh station” written on them. Weigh stations are a stationary or portable scale situated alongside the road to weigh a truck’s load anytime during their freight haul.

There are several systems used to weigh trucks, including concrete decks, digital scales, portable truck scales, wheel-weighers, and more. Each has its various application depending on the weight limits and whether or not it is a permanent or temporary installation.

If there are any problems, prepare for a bit of a delay as it will lead to a more detailed inspection. Any faulty or missing equipment can lead a truck being declared out-of-service until repairs are made, while a problem with your logbook can get you pulled off the road for hours until it’s sorted out.

As a result, you have to pay close attention to the weight, load, overall dimensions, and equipment of the truck as well as your paperwork to help get through inspections quicker so you can get back on the road.

Besides adhering to federal weight regulations, safety is an essential reason why commercial trucks have to be absolutely weighed.

Truck accidents have devastating consequences for the victims. In 2017 alone, 4,102 people were killed in large truck crashes. It’s why the DOT and many states ensure that that truck drivers are traveling with a safe load to keep our highways safe with weigh stations.

Here are several ways truck weigh stations keep drivers safe.

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Structural Road Safety

All interstate trucking regulators across the country impose certain limitations that aim to preserve the reliability of the road networks, including the weight that the trucks are allowed to haul.

A truck that is heavier than the restrictions for the road they are traveling can do significant damage over time, resulting in increased maintenance and transportation costs.

Federal law dictates trucks must weigh below 80,000 pounds, but it could differ by state.

Several factors decide the weight limit, including the weight limit of the weakest structural section of that interstate.

The most vulnerable spots are usually the bridges or overpasses, so while roads can handle more weight, the weight capacity of a bridge might vary.

This creates a safety issue as it causes an uneven road surface that leads to all sorts of destruction and accidents injuring drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

Weigh stations ensure that overloaded trucks on the road are mitigated.

Vehicular Safety

Besides structural road safety, vehicular safety is also the cause for weighing trucks.

The more weight you pile onto a truck, the less safe it is to drive.

Overloaded trucks threaten road safety and contribute to unnecessary loss of life on our road as it is difficult to control when going downhill, cannot be maneuvered quickly, and needs much more space to come to a full stop; this presents a danger to both the operator and other drivers on the road.

Also, if the weight is not well dispersed and too much is toward the front or the back, this can affect the performance of the truck dramatically. As such, cargo trucks are required by law to maintain its load within specified capacities of the truck they are operating.

Ultimately, weigh stations are critical for reducing crashes along with injuries and fatalities on our roadways. However, unexpected accidents are often unavoidable. If you have been injured in a truck accident in Georgia, you are entitled to recover full compensation for your pain and suffering.

For a free consultation with a Lawyer for Truck Accidents at The Brown Firm can be consulted for legal advice and help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us at (912) 200-9755 for a Free Consultation to discuss the nature of your case.