Overloaded Trucks Raise Car Accident Risk

Some truckers frequently overload their trucks, a practice that poses a safety risk to drivers and wears down roads and bridges, according to a recent study. Despite these hazards, there are no severe penalties for overloading.

The study, which was presented at a Federal Transportation Research Board Conference, found that 30 percent of U.S. trucks are overloaded. Because higher loads theoretically increase profits, high fuel costs and a rebounding railway-freight industry have added to the temptation for truckers to engage in the dangerous activity. Unfortunately for motorists, heavy trucks are more difficult to stop and cause much greater damage when involved in traffic accidents. Furthermore, they have a substantial impact on asphalt.

Trucks that are caught with excessive loads are fined 10 cents a pound, which critics say is not enough to discourage overloading. One highway patrolman in North Carolina says that some truckers make the conscious decision to run heavy loads because they would rather run the risk of getting caught than paying for extra drivers or vehicles.