Trucks with a heavier weight limit could soon be coming to Georgia after a bill that allows an increase on weight limits on trucks was recently passed by a state committee.
Trucking safety experts have been warning about the dangers involved in permitting heavier trucks on Georgia highways. Such trucks take more time to stop in case of an emergency thereby increasing the risk of a truck accident. One bill that would raise the existing weight limits on trucks to 90,000 pounds from the current 80,000 pounds is beginning to gain traction. The bill was recently approved by the House Transportation Committee.
Georgia currently has a limit of 80,000 pounds for commercial trucks except trucks that are used for logging. During the pandemic, however, those limits were temporarily increased to support the increase in freight and trucking activity. Trucks during the pandemic were required to carry heavier loads in order to ensure that Georgia residents were not at risk of shortages of medical supplies, foods and other essentials across the state. The order that allowed increased weight limits on trucks is set to expire soon.
Bill 189 would now allow trucks to carry heavier loads. This means that heavier, bulkier trucks would be allowed on most Georgia highways posing a serious truck accident hazard for motorists.
Trucking safety groups including the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association have called out against the passing of the bill, and warn that heavier trucks could pose a safety threat to motorists on our highways. While the economic benefits of allowing heavier trucks may be substantial, trucking safety groups warn that any such benefits would be dwarfed by the safety risk and costs from truck accidents involving bulkier trucks. Occupants of a car that are involved in a truck accident with a massive tractor trailer weighing 90,000 pounds would be at risk of catastrophic injuries and wrongful death in these accidents. Moreover, heavier trucks would mean greater wear and tear on highways, and more expensive maintenance and repairs as a result. Trucking safety groups also warn that there are certain bridges in Georgia which may not be able to bear the additional weight of these trucks.
Georgia, like the rest of the country, has been seeing an increase in the number of motor vehicle accidents, including truck accidents, and in a situation like this, increasing weight limits on trucks seems like an ill – thought out move. Additional weight limits made sense during the emergency situation of the pandemic, but do not make as much sense now when the situation is back to normal.
The Atlanta truck crash attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons injured in trucking and auto accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in an accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine if you have legal options to a claim for damages. You may be eligible for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income and other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case.