Tow trucks often save the day when your vehicle breaks down on a Louisiana highway. However, trucks towing trailers can create serious hazards when they exceed safe weight limits.
Overloaded trailers cause accidents that lead to devastating injuries for innocent drivers sharing the road. Knowing how to spot an overloaded trailer might save your life on the highway or provide crucial evidence if you suffer injuries in a towing-related crash.
Why overloaded trailers create highway hazards
Putting too much weight on a trailer changes how vehicles handle on the road. Overloaded trailers need much longer distances to stop safely, sometimes twice as far as normal.
The trailer’s braking system might fail completely under excessive weight, leaving the driver unable to slow down on steep grades. Extra weight puts too much pressure on the wheels, too. These can cause catastrophic tire blowouts.
Drivers of overloaded tow vehicles find it harder to steer. They might not have time to make emergency moves to avoid crashes if something happens.
Too much weight also strains the hitch connecting the trailer to the vehicle. This creates the risk of the trailer breaking loose entirely while driving.
How to spot a dangerously overloaded tow trailer
Tow vehicles aren’t the fastest on the road but if the truck is going exceptionally slow, especially up on hills, that’s already a sign. Other red flags of possible overloaded towing situations are:
- Sagging rear suspension: The trailer sits very low or tilts to one side
- Bulging tires: Tires that look squashed or bulge out at the sides
- Lots of exhaust smoke: The engine overheats from working too hard under heavy weight
- Trailer sits nose-up or nose-down: If the hitch looks overly compressed, it may be taking on too much weight
- Swaying trailer: The trailer moves side-to-side, worse at higher speeds
- Vehicle bottoms out: The trailer or tow truck scrapes over bumps or railroad tracks
- Light front wheels: The towing vehicle’s front end seems to lift up
Tow vehicles exhibiting one or more of these signs are more likely to get into or cause a towing accident.
Protecting yourself on Louisiana highways
If you notice signs of an overloaded trailer, create distance between your vehicles. Change lanes if possible and never tailgate a vehicle showing signs of towing instability.
In case you suffer injuries from a car accident involving an overloaded trailer, document everything about the scene. Make sure to include photos of obvious signs of overloading. These details help establish negligence in your injury claim.
Working with legal professionals may help you with everything you need to submit to recover full compensation for injuries and pain suffered from these preventable crashes.
