Many different factors can play into how safe a trucker is when behind the wheel. Everything from the trucker’s current mental and physical health to the upkeep of the vehicle plays a role. So does the actual weight of the truck.
But how exactly does the truck’s weight come into play? How can an over or underweight truck potentially cause dangerous situations for drivers?
Overweight trucks
Modern Work Truck Solutions looks into the way that weight can potentially increase a truck’s chance of crashing. First, overloading a truck can cause it to turn up as overweight on the scales. This is illegal and can actually result in the truck driver facing criminal charges resulting in fines, jail time and even the loss of their commercial driver’s license.
Beyond the legal repercussions, an overweight truck also poses a much greater challenge in terms of control. It is already hard for truck drivers to execute fine moves on the road, like turns and quick brakes. With extra weight, these vehicles grow even less controllable. Quick braking becomes nearly impossible, leading to a higher chance of crashing.
Underweight trucks
Even an underweight truck can potentially cause issues, though it is less obviously dangerous than an overweight truck. Underweight trucks often have room in the trailer, which means items can shift during transportation. If the items shift too suddenly or violently, it can potentially cause the trailer to flip. It may even swing into another lane of traffic, causing major crashes with serious injuries or even death.
Needless to say, these enormous dangers are ones truckers should aim to avoid at all costs. Thus, they should pay close attention to the weight of their vehicles.
