How Truck Weigh Station Violations Lead to Serious Trucking Accidents

Most of us have seen signs for truck weigh stations on the highway, but we aren’t really aware of what they are and how they affect us. In theory, weigh stations prevent dangerous overloaded commercial vehicles from sharing the highway with other motor vehicles. While a trained eye might be able to guess a truck is overweight by how the driver is maneuvering it and its breaking distance, you can’t know for sure. That is where weigh stations come in.

What Are Truck Weigh Stations and Why Are They Needed?

Weigh stations are strategic checkpoints where commercial vehicles exceeding 10,000 pounds must stop for weight verification. You’ll typically find them near state borders and major transportation hubs. Inside the station’s scale house, Department of Transportation inspectors monitor trucks as they drive onto specialized scales – either permanent installations built into the ground or portable units placed on the road surface.

This monitoring serves two essential purposes: protecting our infrastructure and ensuring public safety. Roads and bridges are engineered for specific weight limits, and overloaded trucks can accelerate their deterioration. More critically, overweight commercial vehicles pose serious safety risks due to compromised stability, longer stopping distances, and increased mechanical stress.

Federal Safety Regulations and Weight Compliance

The US Department of Transportation applies the Federal Bridge Gross Weight Formula (also called the Bridge Formula) for setting truck weight limits. The Bridge Formula limits the weight-to-length ratio for trucks and the limit per axle. The key limits under the Bridge formula are:

• Gross weight cannot exceed 80,000 pounds for most commercial vehicles on interstate highways
• Axle weight limits are up to 20,000 pounds for a single axle and up to 34,000 pounds for a tandem axle

Most states, including Pennsylvania, apply federal truck weight limits.

If a driver is bypassing a checkpoint or their truck and cargo come in overweight, there are consequences. DOT has the authority to pursue penalties against drivers, including:

• Fines
• Jail time
• CDL license revocation

Potentially Serious Trucking Accidents Caused by Truck Weigh Station Violations

Accidents that may be caused by overloaded commercial vehicles include:

• Tire blowouts
• Brake Failures
• Jackknifing
• Rollovers
• Rear-end collisions
• Collisions with load spillage

While any vehicle accident can be dangerous, accidents with commercial vehicles are more likely to be fatal. In 2022, large truck accidents killed 5,936 people and injured at least 160,600 others. More than 70% of fatal traffic crashes involve “heavy trucks” (over 26,000 pounds).

Signs That Weight Violations Caused Your Truck Accident

Of course, you can’t know the weight of the truck involved in your accident just by looking at it. However, there are some telltale signs at the accident scene. These  include:

• Long skid marks
• Brake failure
• Cargo spills and shifting loads
• Tire blowout patterns
• Rollover characteristics

Trucking Company Liability for Weigh Station Violations

The trucking industry is under more pressure than ever to get goods to consumers faster. It seems like the entire country is running on online shopping. While it seems like magic to consumers, trucking companies and drivers are under tremendous stress to move as many goods as possible as quickly as possible. When that is the priority, some companies cut corners on safety.

Some companies encourage their drivers not to stop at weigh stations to avoid delays or fines for being overweight. Fortunately, trucking companies can be held liable for drivers’ weigh station violations, particularly those resulting in accidents.

When a truck accident attorney investigates a trucking company, they will discover any with lax policies on overloading and patterns of bypassing weigh stations or having overweight vehicles. Truck weigh station violations can be used to show a company’s negligence and hold them accountable for damages in an overweight truck accident caused by one of their drivers.

Hold negligent trucking companies accountable. Call Munley Law’s experienced truck accident team.

Common Weigh Station Violations That Lead to Truck Accidents

Violations are a good indicator that a truck driver isn’t being upfront about the safety conditions of their truck. There are a few weigh station violations that often contribute to truck crashes, including axle weight distribution errors, total weight violations, bypassing weigh stations, and creating false entry logs.

Axle distribution errors happen when too much weight is on a single axle. When the weight distribution is off, the truck becomes unstable and has a higher risk of rollovers and tire blowouts.

Total weight (or gross weight) violations occur when the entire truck and load are over the legal weight limit, as this strains the tires, brakes, and suspension system. The extra weight can cause mechanical failures, brake failures, and tire blowouts, making the vehicle difficult to control.

When truck drivers deliberately evade weighing stations to avoid fines for overweight loads, DOT inspection authorities miss the opportunity to remove unsafe trucks from the highway. Inevitably, accidents happen as a result of overweight vehicles not being stopped at weigh stations.

Truck drivers and trucking companies will create false entry logs to cover up when a driver skips a weigh station or the truck’s weight. They may also manipulate freight paperwork to conceal the true weight of the load.

Your Legal Rights After an Overweight Truck Accident

Any accident with a truck is traumatic, especially if you have suffered severe injuries as a result. If you have been injured, you have the right to pursue compensation. The type of compensation you are entitled to will depend on your case, but common types of compensation in overweight truck accident cases may include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Lost earning
• Capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage

There can be multiple liable parties, including:

• Truck driver
• Trucking company
• Maintenance contractors
• Loading companies

Working with an experienced truck accident attorney means all liable parties will be identified and held accountable in your case, ensuring you get the fair compensation you deserve.

Preserving all the evidence in your case will help your attorney make the strongest case possible. Make sure to hold on to all documentation from your case, including:

• Medical records
• Medical bills
• Accident reports
• Photos and videos of the accident scene

How We Use Weigh Station Records in Your Accident Case

Weigh station records can be the key to a strong case for victims of truck accidents. These records typically include weigh tickets, which are the official documents stating the weight of a vehicle and its cargo, and bypass, which records when trucks don’t stop at weigh stations.

At Munley Law, we always conduct a thorough investigation into the driver and trucking company’s compliance history and safety record. What we are looking for are patterns of negligent behavior, a history of repeat violations, and failures to enforce safety standards.

Call the Expert Truck Accident Attorneys at Munley Law

Our attorneys help families rebuild their lives after devastating truck accidents. We understand the profound impact these crashes have – both on injury victims and their loved ones. With decades of specialized experience in trucking cases, we’ve developed deep expertise in the complex regulations, technology, and investigation methods needed to effectively advocate for our clients.

We’re proud that our work has earned recognition from peers and legal organizations. Three of our attorneys hold NBTA board certification in truck accident law, and two serve in leadership roles with the AAJ’s Trucking Law Group. We regularly share our knowledge by training other attorneys nationwide.

But what matters most is the difference we make for each client. We take the time to understand your unique situation, explain your options clearly, and fight relentlessly for the compensation you need to move forward. When you work with us, you’re not just getting legal representation – you’re gaining advocates who will stand by your side throughout your journey to recovery. Our experienced attorneys can investigate if weight violations played a role.  Schedule your free consultation now.