A long-haul truck driver from Birmingham, Alabama (AL), lost his life in a rear-end collision with another tractor-trailer on I-81 in Rockbridge County, Virginia (VA), early in the evening of January 30, 2012. According to the Roanoke Times, the man ran into the back of a stalled semi in the right-hand lane of the interstate, which was temporarily closed for repairs. The man in the stopped truck was not hurt in the crash near the 197 mile marker just north of Lexington, VA.

View a larger ma of the stretch of I-81 near Lexington, VA, where two semis collided and a trucker lost  his life.

Police have not determined why the one semi was stopped in what would normally be a traffic lane, nor why the deceased trucker was unable to stop or change lanes in time to avoid the fatal crash. Regardless of the circumstance, my fellow Virginia truck accident victims’ attorney colleagues and I send our heartfelt condolences to the friends and family members of the man who lost his life.

Stopping on the highway, even on the shoulder, always creates risks for people in the pulled-over vehicles and everyone passing by. That written, and especially on interstates with posted speed limits of 70 mph or higher, all drivers need to be on the lookout for disabled vehicles. Virginia strengthened its move-over law that requires drivers to slow down or, when safe, change lanes to give space to emergency responders specifically to prevent fatal crashes.

EJL

About the Editors: The Virginia (VA) trucking accident attorneys at Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling truck accident cases in Virginia, North Carolina (NC), and other Southeastern states. Check out our case results, which illustrate our track record of success in truck accident personal injury cases. Trucking injury lawyers Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To learn more about Virginia truck accident injury law, take a look at this free report written by an experienced truck wreck injury attorney in Virginia.

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Causing an accident is terrible, but fleeing the scene is far worse. Unfortunately, hit-and-runs are a common occurrence, as evidenced by the hit-and-run accident that occurred on I-81 north of Martinsburg, West Virginia (WV).

An SUV was hit in the rear by a tractor-trailer and the collision caused the SUV to hit a guardrail and flip over, according to the Herald-Mail.com. Did the tractor-trailer driver stop and help the victims inside the SUV? No.

The tractor-trailer fled the scene and the woman, along with her husband and young daughter were left to fend for themselves. Unfortunately, the make, model, registration and company of the tractor-trailer have yet to be determined.

The woman, who hails from Hagerstown, Maryland (MD), was seriously injured in the accident and she was listed in critical condition at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia (VA).

Hopefully the tractor-trailer driver will be discovered and apprehended. This was a terrible accident made only worse by the truck driver’s complete indifference to the welfare of the victims involved in the wreck.

PA

About the Editors: The Virginia (VA) trucking accident attorneys at Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton have experience handling truck accident cases in Virginia, North Carolina (NC), and other Southeastern states. Check out our case results, which illustrate our track record of success in truck accident personal injury cases. Trucking injury lawyers Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, have also been named Virginia Super Lawyers since 2010, an honor fewer than 5 percent of outstanding attorneys receive. To learn more about Virginia truck accident injury law, take a look at this free report written by an experienced truck wreck injury attorney in Virginia.

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Like too many previous celebration of America’s independence, Fourth of July 2011 has the potential to be a deadly diving day on the roads and highways of Virginia (VA), North Carolina (NC) and every other state. Citing National Highway Transportation Safety Administration statistics, msn.com noted that the days leading up to and including July 4 regularly see more fatal car, truck, motorcycle and SUV accidents than any other holiday weekend.

“In the summer of 2008 …, 491 people died in car accidents during the three-day Fourth of July weekend. Out of that total, 43 percent died as a result of alcohol-impaired driving,” the website reported.

As a Virginia Beach, VA-based personal injury attorney who has represented injury and wrongful death victims following car and truck wrecks for nearly 25 years, I know firsthand that no crash that kills or injures is a welcome event. But accidents at otherwise happy times can be especially devastating.

In an effort to keep traffic accidents to a minimum this July 4th, and all summer long and year round, the American Trucking Associations, recently published the top 10 safe driving tips from commercial truck drivers.  While the advice is specifically intended to prevent collisions between 18-wheelers, semis, tanker trucks, flatbeds and smaller vehicles, following this advice from people who have logged literally millions of miles behind the wheels of big rigs should help everyone reach their destination safely every time.

• Prepare Your Vehicle: Checking your radiator, oil, and wipers and getting any necessary maintenance can help you avoid many of the problems that strand motorists on the side of the road.
• Check and Inflate Your Tires to the Proper Pressure: Overinflated tires can blow out. Underinflated tires make your vehicle harder to control. And having too much or too little air in your tires lowers your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
• Drive the Speed Limit: Observing posted speed limits saves money on gas and reduces wear and tear on vehicles. Resisting the urge to speed also makes any driver or motorcyclist more safe. Maintaining a constant speed can reduce fuel costs by 30 percent and give you more time to react to changing road conditions or mistakes by other motorists.
• Remember That Large Trucks Have Large Blind Spots: Drivers of tractor-trailers and 18-wheelers simply cannot see you if you are beside their rigs. If you can’t see a trucker driver in his or her rearview mirror, the truck driver can’t see you.
• Keep Bottled Water in Your Vehicle: A summer emergency kit containing extra water, sunsreen and nonperishable food in addition to flares and tools is as essential as a winter driving kit containing a blanket and chemical hand and foot warmers. Never allow yourself to get stranded without emergency supplies.
• Park Safely Out of Traffic Before Using Your Cell Phone or Any Other Handheld Electronic Device: Taking your eyes and mind off the road and vehicles around you for even two seconds doubles your chance of causing or being involved in a crash.
• Do Not Cut Off Large Trucks: The longer and heavier a truck is, the longer its driver needs to stop. Keep that in mind when changing lanes in front of big rig.
• Honor Right-of-Way When Merging and Turning: You must yield to oncoming traffic whenever you enter a highway from an on-ramp, use an off-ramp or make a right- or left-hand turn from a light, intersection or parking lot. When you do merge, get up to highway speed quickly and do not slow down in front of an 18-wheeler or semi.
• Respond Calmly to Emergencies: If you get in trouble, put on your emergency blinkers and slow down smoothly before coming to a stop on a shoulder or in an emergency lane. Do not stop in the flow of traffic and, at the same time, move over or slow down when approaching police, broken down vehicles or road crews beside the road.
• Save Fuel: Take direct routes, make few side trips and keep your engine well-tuned. You’ll see noticeable savings on fuel and lower your chances of running out of gas when stuck in traffic.

Stay safe, and have a great Fourth.

EJL

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling truck accident cases. Our primary office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), but our lawyers also hold licenses to practice in NC, South Carolina (SC), West Virginia (WV), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL) and Washington, DC. Rick Shapiro and James Lewis were included in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers in America. They, along with fellow attorney John M. Cooper, were also named 2011 Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law, an honor which fewer than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers receive. Our injury attorneys host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Further, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard blogs as pro bono public information services. Check out our case results. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free initial consultations so give us a call at (800) 752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, please leave a message and we will return your call.

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Tractor trailers and 18-wheelers are causing major safety concerns along the mountainous Va. 56 road that makes its way through the villages of Vesuvius and Montebello. The road is winding and features sharp curves so large trucks routinely get stuck when trying to maneuver, or get involved in serious tractor trailer accidents.

“It really is a real inconvenience for everybody, plus a danger,” said Vesuvius resident Kitty Cash, according to an article on newsleader.com. “That’s what really scares me.”

Tractor trailers use Va. 56 because it is a short cut between I-81 and US 29. This saves truck companies money due to the decreased mileage. In fact, some truckers have said a company dispatcher will insist they take the route, according to the newsleader.com article.

This is disturbing, but not surprising. It is disturbing that a truck company would actually encourage their employees to risk their lives, and the cargo on the tractor trailer, to save a few dollars on mileage. However, it is not surprising since truck companies are notorious for trying to maximize profit, even if it means decreased safety.

If a resident of Vesuvius or Montebello gets seriously hurt in an accident involving one of these large trucks, consult with an attorney. There may be a case for negligence when a trucker caused an accident with your vehicle and was told to take the Va. 56 route even though the vehicle was too large, or not capable, or traveling on this winding, treacherous road.

As a UVA law student, I would regularly drive for fun on these roads in Central Virginia to enjoy the beauty of the country and the thrill of twisting highway in the hills. I am glad I did not run into a out of control big rig on those curves.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY, FL and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as pro bono public information services.

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Roadside workers must wince every time a semi barrels past them and wonder whether the speeding vehicle will crash into them.  Many Virginia (Va) work zone accidents are avoidable, as long as workers, motorists, and contracting companies take the necessary precautions.  Motorists should pay more attention and slow down when driving close to a work zone. Studies show that driving too fast is the leading contributing factor of work zone accidents, with rubbernecking also another leading cause. Both workers and motorists are at risk of getting hurt in work zone accidents.

This seemed to be the case today just south of I-81 at Exit 50, when a tractor-trailer slowed for construction then another struck it in the rear, knocking the sleeper and cab off the chassis.  The VSP said there were injuries but didn’t know how many or what type.  The crash is still under investigation.  I hope the injured driver recovers swiftly, it is frustrating that he was doing the right thing by slowing down and was injured because someone else’s carelessness.

However this isn’t an isolated incident, highway work zone accidents have killed roughly 4,700 people — more than two a day — and injured 200,000 in the last five years, according to the New York Times .

So what can be done to curb this distrubing trend?  Well first of all, workzones have reduced speeds for a reason: there are people out there, doing their job.  That VDOT worker is someone’s son.  Respect human life enough to slow down, don’t drive distracted and be patient.  Arriving somewhere five minutes early isn’t worth injuring or killing someone.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm that focuses on injury and accident law, and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY, FL and DC. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube. Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as pro bono public information services. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free, initial consultations so give us a call at (800) 752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, please leave a message and we will return your call promptly.

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Phyllis Hammer was driving her 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix on I-81 in Charlottesville, Virginia (VA) when a tractor-trailer slammed into the rear of her car. Hammer suffered injuries and was transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center, according to newsleader.com.

The at-fault truck driver also hit a Dodge Caravan that was carrying five passengers and led to multiple injuries. In addition, the truck clipped a second big rig.

Police charged the at-fault trucker with reckless driving since witnesses estimated the trucker was traveling over 70 mph while traffic slowed to 15 mph on the interstate.

Reckless driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The penalty could include up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Reckless driving also carries the possibility of a suspension of driving privileges for up to six months.

This accident highlights the increased dangers associated with big rig accidents and how important it is for big rig drivers to operate their trucks responsibly.  Due to the sheer weight and momentum generated by these massive vehicles, the damages and injuries are often amplified to the unfortunate smaller vehicles that get hit.  While we don’t know all of the details associated with this big rig accident, our firm has reported on the six most common causes of big rig accidents.

PA

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm that focuses on injury and accident law, and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY, FL and DC. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as pro bono public information services. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free, initial consultations so give us a call at (800) 752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, please leave a message and we will return your call promptly.

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A tractor-trailer driver is in custody after leading police on a chase up Interstate 81 (I-81) through parts of West Virginia (WV) , Maryland (MD) and Pennsylvania (PA), reports The Times Leader.  The truck with Mississippi plates struck several civilian and police vehicles along the 12-mile Maryland stretch near Hagerstown on Monday morning. 

The driver’s blatant disregard for the safety of others is unfathomable.  It must have looked like something out of a movie- the huge big rig bearing down on cars, speeding across the interstate and causing mass confusion, with police in hot pursuit. 

After a hard day’s work, this is no movie, this is reality.  Accidents caused by cars are bad enough but when a big rig wrecks into a car the injuries can be catastrophic.  Motorists were lucky this time and no major injuries were reported.  Too often, police chases end in horrific car accidents, which may result in serious injury to innocent motorists who were literally in the wrong place and the wrong time.

When a situation like this occurs, you may wonder who is responsible for the damage to vehicles and property, as well as the medical bills that will be generated from the injuries. Does the law enforcement agency whose officers were involved in the chase make compensation, or will the person who was driving the vehicle that was being chased?   The truth is that every case is different-an experienced injury attorney needs to sort it out, and more than one party may have responsibility.

Federal Motor Carrier Regulations require these large commercial trucks, which cross state lines, to carry minimum insurance coverage-including minimum liability coverage. The federal law requires a commercial transportation company to maintain at least seven hundred & fifty thousand dollars ($750,000.00) of insurance coverage on the big rig (commercial vans/busses require higher rates depending on passenger capacities). This is true even for smaller companies which haul freight in interstate commerce.

CA.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Though not every case meets our criteria, we offer free, initial consultations so give us a call at 1-800-752-0042. If you can’t get through due to high call volume, please leave a message and we will return your call promptly. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY, FL and DC. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

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Is the car you’re driving safe enough? A man was struck three times after he was ejected from his vehicle. Find out more.

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A father and son – Edward Smith, Sr. and Edward Smith, Jr. – were killed when a semi-truck slammed into their Dodge Caravan after the two stopped to help a driver stranded on interstate 81 (I-81) in Wytheville, Virginia (VA).

My deepest condolences go out to the Smith’s friends and family. This is an especially tragic accident considering the father and son stopped on the side of the road to help another driver struggling to travel in the winter weather.

The tractor trailer reportedly swerved to miss the disabled car that was on the road, jackknifed and smacked the Caravan.

Jackknifed tractor trailers, unable to handle the icy roads, caused the biggest problems in Southwest Virginia, according to the Bristol Herald Courier.

“I’d rather drive off a cliff than hit a four-wheeler, cause you know they’ve got families in them, kids inside,” said Joe Soliz, a truck driver. “But when you’ve got 80,000 pounds on your back, pushing you, it’s just hard to stop.”

This is why there are federal regulations specifically dealing with large commercial trucks on roadways during bad weather . Ideally, drivers of commercial trucks like tractor trailers and big rigs would find a place to stop and wait out the storm. Unfortunately, there seem to be many truckers who throw caution to the wind and continue their travels despite icy roads (which could potentially turn to black ice ), high winds and huge amounts of snow.

Truck drivers need to fully analyze the potential consequences of driving in a snowstorm. All of the challenges truckers routinely face (e.g. the sudden movements of other vehicles on the road, poor visibility, etc.) increase exponentially when you add bad winter weather to the mix.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have experience handling truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

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Although the roads and highways along Virginia’s I-81, I-64 or I-66 have not reported any recent bad tractor trailer accidents, there was one in Springfield, Ohio today. A tractor-trailer jackknifed on icy road conditions and slammed into a van filled with disabled passengers that were being transported. The big rig swerved into oncoming traffic colliding with the van killing four of its occupants and injuring 7 others that were inside as well.

A new device called the “Atlas AJSS” has recently been invented that automatically engages at a speed of 45miles per hour (72km/h) and stays engaged unless manually released. It is actuated electronically and operated pneumatically from the truck’s accumulator air supply. The device prevents the trailer and the truck from becoming over 15 out of alignment with each other. Under normal operating (highway) speeds, this 15 swing does not interfere with driving even on the most winding roads; of course, the system disengages under 45mph to allow for the hair-pin curves of winding mountain roads which are traversed at speeds under 45mph.

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