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Truck Overloading and Its Impact on Tractor-Trailer Accidents in Georgia

Offered by Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.

Understanding Truck Weight Regulations and Legal Recourse for Crash Victims

Truck accidents are a serious threat on Georgia's highways, especially on major routes like I-285 and I-75. Overloaded trucks, which carry excessive cargo that exceeds legal weight limits, are among the most dangerous causes of these crashes.

These overloaded vehicles pose a severe risk to other drivers, often leading to catastrophic accidents that cause life-altering injuries or fatalities.

For those injured in such accidents, understanding their legal rights and options for compensation is important. That’s when having an experienced Georgia truck accident attorney can make all the difference in your injury claim or lawsuit.

What Happens When Trucks Are Overloaded?

Overloading an 18-wheeler drastically affects how it operates on the road. Commercial vehicles that carry too much weight become harder to control and take longer to stop. This extra weight puts immense strain on the big rig’s tires, brakes, and other essential components, increasing the chances of a dangerous malfunction.

Additionally, overloaded tractor-trailers are more likely to jackknife, roll over, or suffer from tire blowouts. These scenarios often end in tragedy for the drivers and passengers of smaller vehicles caught in the large truck’s path. Common risks from overloaded trucks include:

  • Increased stopping distances.
  • Higher chance of mechanical failure.
  • Greater risk of jackknifing or rolling over due to imbalance and/or cargo shift.
  • Increased wear on tires and brakes, leading to dangerous blowouts or malfunctions.

The consequences of overloaded trucks can be devastating. These heavy vehicles cause significantly more damage in collisions than trucks operating within legal weight limits. For example, a fully loaded tractor-trailer that exceeds the 80,000-pound limit will need more time to slow down or stop, leading to serious crashes that often result in severe or fatal injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and multiple bone fractures.

Understanding Federal and State Truck Weight Regulations

Truck overloading is heavily regulated at both the federal and state levels to ensure safety on the roads. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets strict regulations to control truck weight limits across the United States. For most U.S. commercial motor vehicles traveling on interstate highways, the maximum allowable weight is 80,000 pounds. This includes: 

  • 20,000 pounds for a single-axle vehicle. 
  • 34,000 pounds for a tandem-axle vehicle. 
  • 80,000 pounds for the overall gross weight limit.

While federal regulations set the baseline, individual states can adapt these laws to fit their specific needs, especially when issuing permits for overweight vehicles. 

Georgia Commercial Truck Weight Rules and Restrictions

Georgia issues overload permits for vehicles that exceed the 80,000-pound limit, but only for certain types of loads and under strict conditions. These permits allow vehicles with “nondivisible” loads — cargo that cannot be disassembled in less than eight hours — to legally exceed the standard weight limits. The Georgia Permitting & Routing Optimization System (GAPROS) is used to order these permits. Here are the types of overload or overweight permits that Georgia may issue:

  • Single-Trip Permit: Issued for a single trip involving a vehicle that exceeds the standard weight, width, length, or height limits.
  • Weight Limit: Up to 150,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
  • Duration: Valid for a specific trip and expires once the trip is completed.
  • Restrictions: Travel times and routes may be restricted to avoid peak hours, holidays, or bad weather. The vehicle must comply with specific route guidelines set by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT).

Annual Permit

Allows a commercial vehicle to exceed the weight or size limits for multiple trips within a year.

  • Weight Limit: The annual permit typically covers vehicles with a maximum gross weight of up to 100,000 pounds.
  • Duration: Valid for one year from the date of issue.
  • Restrictions: The vehicle must adhere to the designated routes specified in the permit and follow additional rules based on the nature of the load, such as oversized loads may not be allowed on certain highways during high-traffic periods.

Superload Permit

This is for vehicles with a gross weight exceeding 150,000 pounds or dimensions exceeding standard oversized limits.

  • Weight Limit: Typically for vehicles with gross weights between 150,000 and 180,000 pounds.
  • Duration: Issued for a single trip.
  • Restrictions: Specific to the route, time of travel, and may require additional safety measures like escort vehicles.

Superload Plus Permit

This is for extremely large or heavy loads that exceed the capacity of a standard superload permit.

  • Weight Limit: Vehicles with a gross weight exceeding 180,000 pounds.
  • Duration: Issued for a single trip.
  • Restrictions: May involve strict route limitations, additional escort vehicles, and require a detailed review by GDOT before approval. Specific timeframes for travel may be assigned to minimize the risk of accidents or traffic issues. 

Nondivisible Load Permit

For loads that cannot be divided into smaller units, such as large construction equipment or prefabricated structures.

  • Weight Limit: Up to 125,000 pounds with a nondivisible load permit.
  • Duration: Can be issued as a single-trip or annual permit, depending on the load and route.
  • Restrictions: The load must be truly nondivisible, meaning it cannot be separated into smaller parts within eight hours of work. 

Georgia Forest Products Permit 

Specifically for vehicles transporting raw forest products like logs, timber, or wood chips.

  • Weight Limit: Allows up to 84,000 pounds, exceeding the standard 80,000-pound federal limit for certain agricultural and forestry goods.
  • Duration: Typically issued as an annual permit.
  • Restrictions: This applies to vehicles operating within designated forestry areas and is subject to route-specific regulations. 

Agricultural Permit 

For transporting agricultural products like farm equipment, livestock, and crops.

  • Weight Limit: Can allow gross vehicle weights of up to 84,000 pounds.
  • Duration: Often issued as an annual permit.
  • Restrictions: Valid only during certain seasons or for specific agricultural activities. Routes may be limited, and travel during adverse conditions or high-traffic periods may be restricted.

These permits are essential for oversized cargo, but they come with numerous restrictions, particularly in urban areas like Atlanta.

Additional Restrictions on Overload Permits 

In Georgia, navigating the permit system for overloaded trucks can be particularly challenging in Atlanta due to strict local laws. Trucks with overload permits are subject to special rules when operating near or within the Interstate 285 bypass, which encircles the city. 

  • Travel Restrictions in Atlanta: No permit is valid for travel into or through the area bounded by Interstate 285 unless the truck is making a pickup or delivery within that area. The driver must be able to provide proof of such a pickup or delivery. Additionally, trucks with permits are prohibited from traveling within the I-285 area during peak traffic hours: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. If a truck arrives early, it cannot park on the interstate or limited access highway right-of-way while waiting for authorized travel times.
  • Limitations During Bad Weather and Holidays: Overload permits restrict truck operations during certain conditions, including severe weather and specific holidays. These limitations are intended to reduce the risk of accidents caused by reduced visibility or increased traffic congestion.
  • Safety Signage Requirements. Georgia law also requires trucks operating under overload permits to have specific safety signage and markings to alert other drivers. These safety requirements include square red flags on the truck to indicate that it is carrying an oversized load and special signage on the vehicle to notify others that it exceeds the standard weight limit.

These safety measures are designed to minimize the risk of accidents by ensuring that other drivers are aware of the potential dangers posed by overweight trucks on the road.

How an Accident Attorney Can Help Determine if a Truck Was Overloaded

Proving that a tractor-trailer was overloaded after an accident can be a challenging task. Victims may struggle to access critical information like cargo manifests or weigh station records. This is where an experienced truck accident lawyer plays a crucial role. An attorney can investigate whether overloading contributed to the accident by demanding evidence such as cargo logs, maintenance records, and inspection reports. 

Every case is different, and the types of evidence collected will depend on the circumstances of the crash. However, basic types of evidence a lawyer can collect in an overloaded or overweight truck accident include:

  • Truck weight tickets from weigh stations.
  • Truck inspection and maintenance records.
  • Cargo loading manifests.
  • Testimony from experts in trucking safety or accident reconstruction.

In truck accident cases, expert witnesses are crucial to building a strong case, and having an attorney secure the right experts can make all the difference. Accident reconstruction experts, for instance, can analyze physical evidence from the crash scene, such as skid marks and vehicle damage, to determine how the truck’s weight contributed to the accident.

Additionally, industry experts are essential in reviewing company practices, shedding light on improper loading or maintenance violations that may have contributed to the crash. Without expert testimony, it can be difficult to prove these critical details. Having a skilled truck accident attorney who knows how to enlist the right experts is key to securing maximum compensation for victims. 

The Importance of Legal Recourse for Victims

Victims of overloaded truck accidents deserve compensation for the physical, emotional, and financial toll these crashes take on their lives. However, filing a claim after a truck accident is complex, especially when overloading is involved. 

Victims must prove that the truck was overloaded, that the overloading contributed to the accident, and that they suffered damages as a result. This requires gathering a wide range of evidence, from maintenance records to eyewitness testimony, and negotiating with insurance companies who may be more interested in protecting their bottom line than compensating victims fairly.

An experienced truck accident lawyer can handle the complexities of an overloaded truck case and significantly improve the chances of a successful outcome. From investigating the accident to negotiating with insurers, a lawyer can take on the burden of building a strong case so victims can focus on their recovery. 

Contact An Attorney Who Wrote the Book on Truck Accident Claims in Georgia

To further support victims of overloaded truck accidents in Georgia, Attorneys Gary Martin Hays and Sarah Jett offer a comprehensive resource titled The Authority on Tractor-Trailer Wreck Claims in Georgia. This resource was designed to help injured victims and grieving families understand their legal rights and the complex issues surrounding truck accident cases. It covers multiple accident scenarios, legal avenues to explore, and essential steps to securing full compensation for the losses suffered.

If you choose to work with Gary Martin Hays & Associates, you’ll receive a physical copy of this book, along with a customized plan to protect your rights. Additionally, digital copies are available for free download. This resource can be a powerful tool in navigating the emotional and financial challenges that come after a serious truck accident.

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The Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C., is committed to protecting the rights of accident victims in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. We handle claims involving per...