Logging trucks are constantly passing through rural areas and heavily-populated towns as they transport their loads to the mills, including here in Georgia. For decades, weight limits on the highways have prevented those trucks from using the interstate, forcing them to navigate a complex maze of secondary roads.
In theory, keeping those trucks off the interstate would make the highway a little safer. In reality, the restrictions do nobody any favors. In fact, one researcher put it succinctly when he said, “It’s needlessly unsafe for them.” And he wasn’t just referring to the dangers faced by truckers, noting that forcing heavy logging trucks to move through small towns often puts other drivers and pedestrians alike in danger.
When logging trucks have to move through populated areas instead of using the interstate, they’re constantly forced to deal with traffic that is moving in a multitude of directions, vehicles that suddenly stop to make a turn, stop lights and other hazards. Researchers believe that raising the weight limit on the interstate so that logging trucks can use them would reduce the number of wrecks associated with those trucks by as much as 40%.
Hopefully, research like this will inform new policies and help guide some productive changes. In the meantime, it’s important to be conscious of the danger from logging trucks whenever you’re near one. The poor visibility that drivers have and the limited maneuverability of the logging trucks themselves can be a nightmare for anybody that is sharing the road with them.
If an accident does happen, make sure that you work with an attorney who knows how to handle a complicated truck accident claim.