How Much Does a Semi Truck Weigh?
Commercial vehicle accidents pose a significant risk to the lives and safety of road users due to the massive weights of these vehicles. Due to the high crash energy, a collision with a semi can cause greater property damage and more severe injuries than an ordinary car accident.
That said, there’s no easy answer to how much worse a truck accident might be, as semi trucks don’t have a consistent weight. Federal laws set a maximum weight for the truck and trailer. However, the vehicles themselves may vary in weight. Moreover, states can issue permits to allow overweight tractor-trailer combinations. Continue reading to learn more about semi truck weights.
How Much Does a Semi Truck Weigh?
Before examining the weight of commercial trucks, it’s worth reviewing some basic terminology. “Semi truck” usually refers to the combination of a tractor and semi-trailer. The term “18-wheeler” has the same meaning because the tractor and trailer have 18 total wheels.
The tractor is the portion of the combination with the engine; it provides the power to tow the trailer. The trailer or semi-trailer is designed to carry cargo. While it’s heavy when empty, it can often hold several times its own weight.
The tractor alone can weigh anywhere from 10,000 to 25,000 pounds. An empty trailer often weighs 10,000–20,000 pounds. Therefore, a tractor and trailer combination often weighs between 20,000 and 45,000 pounds when empty.
By comparison, a typical sedan weighs about 2,000 pounds, while an SUV might weigh up to 4,000. That means a tractor-trailer combination could weigh at least 10 times more than your vehicle, even while empty.
How Much Can a Tractor-Trailer Combination Weigh When Loaded?
Federal law imposes weight limits on tractor-trailers.
The permitted weight applies to any semi truck traveling for interstate commerce, including the following vehicles:
- Trucks traveling from one state to another state or country
- Trucks carrying cargo that originated in another state or country
- Trucks that cross through another state or country before returning to the original state
These weight limits are meant to protect the interstate highways, particularly bridges, from overweight trucks. The laws include some complicated formulas based on the type of truck, but the key number to remember is 80,000 pounds. That’s the maximum weight of a fully loaded conventional semi truck.
Overweight Loads and Permits in Colorado
Semi trucks can weigh more than 80,000 pounds if the freight company secures an overweight permit, which allows tractor-trailer combinations weighing up to 110,000 pounds.
To secure an overweight permit, a company must submit a permit application to the Colorado Department of Transportation. The application describes the load and the planned route. The trucking company can transport the overweight load if the permit is granted.
Weight and Crash Energy
The energies at play in a crash depend on the weight and speed of the vehicles involved. A fully loaded semi truck weighs between 20 and 40 times more than a standard passenger vehicle. Since energy is proportional to mass, a semi truck will hit with 20–40 times more energy than a car traveling at the same speed.
Even at slow speeds, a truck accident can cause catastrophic injuries. The force can deform other vehicles and shatter bodies, tearing muscles and ligaments, breaking bones, and jolting the brain.
Truck Weight and Crash Claims
Semi trucks can weigh anywhere from 10,000 pounds to more than 100,000 pounds. Since the weight of the truck that collides with an accident victim often determines the severity of their injuries, it can also determine the losses they suffer and the compensation they’re eligible to seek.
Contact the Denver Truck Accident Lawyers at Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
Truck accident lawyers help victims of devastating crashes pursue fair compensation that reflects the full spectrum of their losses. Contact Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation with a Denver truck accident attorney.
For more information, please contact the Denver truck accident lawyers at Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation with a Denver personal injury lawyer.
We are located in Denver, CO, proudly serving all of Denver County.
Zaner Law Personal Injury Lawyers
1610 Wynkoop Street, Suite 120
Denver, CO 80202
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