Summer is often a time of moves. Many families want to move during the summer, before the school year begins, so that their children do not have to interrupt their school year. College students often move before the start of the fall semester as well. For this reason, many moving trucks are on the road during the late summer and early fall. These trucks range from large vans to huge multi-ton trucks, capable of transporting several cars and several homes’ worth of items.

There are a number of factors that can make moving trucks especially dangerous and accident prone:

1) Do-it-yourself moves require inexperienced drivers to drive large trucks. Some moving truck carriers allow families to rent a truck, load the truck themselves, and drive the truck to their new destination. Do-it-yourself moves are popular because they are far less expensive than hiring movers. Unfortunately, renting a moving truck can be dangerous since it allows a driver to drive a much larger vehicle than he or she is used to. Professional truck drivers have special licenses and extensive training, but the average driver renting a multi-ton moving truck lacks this training and certification. On the road, this can lead to an accident.

2) Moving trucks frequently enter residential areas. Many trucks carrying commercial products mainly travel along highways and commercial areas. Moving trucks, however, move between one residence and another. These large trucks also park in driveways. This makes the possibility of pedestrian accidents more likely, simply because these trucks are frequently in areas frequented by pedestrians.

3) Moving truck carriers do not always take proper care of their trucks. While many moving companies and truck rental companies are responsible, some are not. Many serious legal allegations have been made against moving truck rental companies who do not perform required maintenance on their trucks.

4) Moving trucks can easily be overburdened with weight. All trucks have a weight limit, but when people are loading up a rented moving truck, they do not always have a scale present to weigh the total weight of the cargo. Some moving companies are also cavalier about weight limits. A truck that is overburdened is at an increased risk of a rollover or accident.

When moving truck accidents occur, serious injuries are often the result. The sheer size of these trucks ensure that in the event of an accident, pedestrians or motorists colliding with the truck are killed or seriously injured. In addition, moving truck accidents can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage.