The Danger of Overloaded Truck Crashes
The risk to drivers of passenger vehicles sharing the road with large trucks is obvious, but overload one of those trucks, or load it improperly, and the potential for a catastrophic event increases manifold. An overloaded semi-truck, or 18-wheeler, places an undue burden on its brakes, frame, suspension and tires. An overweight truck has an extended stopping ability, especially while traveling downhill and can easily jackknife on a wet road surface. Overloaded or improperly loaded trailers are prone to rollovers and even splitting open, dumping their contents onto a busy highway. The driver of an overweight truck may not be aware of weight of the load [...]