An 18-wheeler can weigh many times more than a passenger car. When the two collide, the people in the car take the force of the crash. That is why truck accidents so often cause serious injuries and deaths, and why these cases are handled differently from ordinary car wrecks.
Size, weight and stopping distance
A loaded truck needs far more room to stop than a car, and it can’t swerve quickly. Trucks also have large blind spots on all four sides. Underride crashes, where a car slides under a trailer, are especially deadly.
Louisiana’s interstate corridors
South Louisiana’s I-10 corridor carries heavy 18-wheeler traffic, including oil field vehicles and trucks serving the ports and petrochemical plants. Add I-12, I-49 and I-55 and long stretches of construction, and drivers share the road with large trucks every day.
The rules trucking companies must follow
- Hours of service. Federal rules generally limit truck drivers to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty, bar driving after the 14th hour on duty, and require a 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving.
- Inspections and maintenance. Brakes, tires, lights and coupling devices must be inspected and maintained.
- Driver qualifications and testing. Drivers must be licensed, qualified and subject to drug and alcohol testing.
- Insurance. Interstate for-hire carriers hauling general freight must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage.
When a company breaks these rules to save time or money, it can be strong evidence of fault.
Why you should call a lawyer quickly
Trucking companies and their insurers often send investigators to the scene right away. Key evidence, like electronic logging data, dash camera video and dispatch records, can be overwritten or lost. A lawyer can send preservation demands and start building your case while the evidence still exists.
In Louisiana, most injury claims from accidents on or after July 1, 2024 must be filed within two years. Injuries before that date generally had only one year. Evidence also disappears fast, so don’t wait.
Hurt in an accident in Louisiana? Call Stephen J. Hecker at (504) 446-1000 for a free consultation. Our phones are answered 24/7. Contact us online.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts. Laws change; this post reflects Louisiana law as of November 2026.