- May 29, 2014
- Personal Injury
- Truck Accidents
A new bill proposed in Michigan, HB5453, will double the fines for overweight trucks. Currently the law is that the gross cargo weight of a tractor-trailer combination cannot legally exceed 80,000 pounds. Even with this law in place many truck companies do not follow it. The new bill was proposed to combat this in hopes that truck companies will start following the weight restrictions and ultimately making our roads safer.Injuries resulting from truck accidents are often quite serious. When trucks are overweight and involved in a crash, the resulting injuries are more probable to be catastrophic due to the heavy weight. This is because overloading a truck affects the steering and braking, and can cause a semi-truck to tip over on exit ramps.
Below are some statistics concerning Michigan truck accident death and injuries. The statistics tailored by the Michigan Traffic Crash Facts are from 2011:
- There were 73 truck accident deaths.
- There were 1,903 injuries related to truck accidents.
- There were 10,885 accidents involving commercial trucks.
In addition, approximately 10% of all those injured in a large truck crash will die.
Knowing these statistics, it is unfortunate that some trucking companies still continue to disobey the law and therefore sacrifice our safety. Our Detroit truck accident lawyers hope that this new bill will prompt companies to follow the law.
Victims injured in a truck accident do have legal rights. If you or someone you know has been injured in a Michigan semi-truck accident, call our top rated truck attorneys today at(248) 286-8100 to see how we can help you. We have significant experience in these types of cases and have a track record of helping accident victims obtain the maximum settlement for their injuries. Call today to learn your rights!