Chicago roads undergo wear and tear as vehicles drive on them. The heavier the vehicle, the more damage it would cause to the roads. In Chicago, there are some precautions drivers must take to ensure the safety and longevity of the roads. However, because of the drivers’ negligent hiring, safety protocols are missed and often cause damage to the roads and eventually cause many truck accidents every year. Poor roads will lead to accidents, which is happening in Chicago. Truck accident attorneys in Chicago are now focusing on truck accident victims more than other personal injury cases because of the increase in truck accidents in Chicago. Commercial trucks are difficult to navigate and need a driver adept at operating a big vehicle and aware of the need to uphold specific safety requirements. Hiring drivers who can maintain standards of care and diligence while operating their trucks is the obligation of trucking businesses.
Damages Due to Overloading
Overloading the trucks can significantly damage the roads, as the weight limit contributes to road construction planning. Unfortunately, to earn some extra bucks, the drivers ignore the allowed weight limit of the cargo and end up damaging the roads. Similarly, the trucks are also designed to carry a specific maximum load. If that limit is ignored, the chances of tire bursts, brake failure, and other unforeseen events may occur. Experienced drivers know how much weight their trucks can carry, but if these aspects are not checked before the hiring, unknowingly, the drivers may keep damaging the roads and put others at risk too.
Debris Hazards on Road
Road debris is produced mainly by big rig vehicles. Blown-out tires are among the most prevalent and harmful sorts of road debris. Big rigs are sometimes called “18-wheelers” because any one of that many wheels might suddenly blow. Blown tires are the most common type of road debris. Negligent hiring increases the risk of road debris because of the incapability of the driver to handle the vehicle safely. It is the responsibility of the drivers to carry out a complete vehicle checkup before they take it out on the road. Unfortunately, inexperienced drivers do not consider these things and damage the environment, roads, and the people around them.
Road Wear And Tear
The physical damage large rig trucks do to the road is another significant way they have an impact on it. An average passenger car weighs approximately 4,000 pounds, but a fully loaded commercial truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. As a result, the mass differential is almost 20 times greater. Therefore, it might seem reasonable to assume that a single big rig truck would produce roughly the same amount of wear and tear on the road as 20 cars on the surface. However, one big rig truck is thought to have damaged the road with about 9,600 passenger cars because the damage is more noticeable at higher weights. When the driver is not experienced, this figure might increase further because the chances of wear and tear are more when the driver isn’t a professional.
Conclusion
Roads are damaged as the vehicles drive on them. The heavier the vehicle, the more damage it would cause to the roads. Experienced drivers understand these things and ensure that their trucks follow the safety protocols and minimize the possible damage to the roads. Considering the experience and knowledge, the trucking company must be extra vigilant while hiring drivers.
