Semi trucks are the undisputed kings of the road: massive vehicles that dwarf almost every other type of vehicle on the road. Despite how that statement sounds, you still might not fully realize just how much bigger they are.
How much does a semi-truck weigh compared to a typical passenger vehicle? The answer is both surprising and a little frightening.
How Much Does A Semi Truck Tire Weigh?
An easy way to understand the weight difference between a semi truck and a passenger vehicle is to simply look at the weight of their tires, not to mention their full structures.
The average tire for a passenger vehicle weighs around 25 lbs. As such, all four on your car probably weigh in at just a little over 100 lbs. Conversely, the average tire on a semi truck weighs between 100 and 150 lbs. Indeed, just one semi truck tire weighs as much as every tire on your car. And these vehicles are called 18-wheelers for a reason.
Given those numbers, the tires on a tractor-trailer weigh between 1,800 and 2,700 lbs. In other words, the collective weight of the tires on a semi-truck is roughly the same amount as a small car in its entirety.
Total Weight Of A Semi Truck
If just the tires weigh a ton or more, how much does a semi truck weigh altogether? The answer typically depends on one factor more than any other: the cargo the truck is carrying.
Since semi trucks do things like travel with multiple trailers and tow several new cars, it’s obvious that these vehicles can carry extremely heavy loads. Without regulations, you would probably see them barreling down highways with three, four, or even more trailers at once,
Thankfully, federal regulations prohibit that. According to the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) commercial vehicle weight standards, the gross weight of a commercial vehicle (the truck and all of its cargo) typically cannot exceed 80,000 lbs.
That weight standard is enforced via weighing stations located on federal highways throughout the country. If a truck is discovered traveling on a public road weighing more than the allotted value, it is pulled from the road, and the trucking company that owns it will face significant sanctions.
Why Semi Truck Weights Matter
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, large trucks and buses were involved in almost 170,000 accidents in 2024. More than half of those accidents resulted in injuries, and nearly 5,000 resulted in fatalities.
These figures are so high because those vehicles simply weigh so much. Considering that the average mid-sized car only weighs about two tons, its driver and passengers are in great danger if it collides with a vehicle that weighs nearly 80 tons.
Injury and fatality numbers would almost certainly increase if trucks were allowed to travel on public roads with even heavier loads. Also, the trucks would be even more difficult to control and stop, and the damage they caused during collisions would be much higher. All of that in mind makes the reason behind the FHA’s weight standards and restrictions clear.
Give Semi Trucks Plenty Of Space While Driving
Even if it carries zero cargo, a semi truck easily outweighs a typical vehicle by a large margin. If you get into an accident with it, you will almost certainly suffer the worst consequences. There is (quite literally) no way around it: You must give these titans of the road plenty of room to avoid colliding with something as much as 40 times as heavy as your car.
Contact the Florida Truck Accident Lawyers at Shaked Law Firm, P.A. For More Help Today
If you’ve been injured in a truck collision in Florida and need legal help, contact a Florida 18-wheelers attorney at Shaked Law Firm, P.A.
Shaked Law Firm, P.A.
20900 NE 30th Ave STE 705
Aventura, FL 33180
(305) 937-0191
*Relocated across the street from Aventura Hospital.
Available 24/7