We’ve all seen the terrifying news headlines: Truck Overturns in Virginia. Passengers Killed When Struck by 18-Wheeler. It seems we can’t go a day without reading about a Virginia truck accident on I-66, I-495 or Route 1—and more often than not, these accidents have proved fatal for at least one person.
Main Causes of Semi and 18-Wheeler Crashes
You may wonder: what’s causing all these Virginia semi crashes?
- Weather.Winter has arrived, and that means slick roads, heavy snow, and fewer hours of daylight. These conditions are dangerous for all drivers, but can easily be fatal for truckers hauling tons of cargo behind them.
- Heavy loads. Truckers are often paid per load of cargo, so if they pack their trucks past the legal limit, they can collect a bigger paycheck. However, overloading the rig decreases the truck’s stopping time and increases the force of impact, making an accident more likely—and more deadly.
- Unfamiliar roads. Interstate truckers may not have experience maneuvering on Virginia’s sloping drives, mountain roads, or tricky stretches of highway that even locals have trouble navigating.
- Merging problems. Accidents with smaller cars often occur when a truck changes lanes, simply because the trucker didn’t see a smaller vehicle. These “no zone” accidents are common if the car was too close to the truck or outside the range of its mirrors.
- Driver behavior. Truckers often spend long hours behind the wheel, leading to fatigue, aches and pains, depression, distracted driving or aggressive behavior as the trucker tries to meet a deadline.
Get Help From an Experienced Truck Accident Lawyer
Our Fairfax truck accident attorneys know that any one of these factors can affect a truck driver’s performance, and when added together, the chances of causing an accident increase dramatically.
If someone you love was injured in an accident with 18-wheeler in Virginia, you need help collecting compensation for medical bills. Our attorneys have experience helping families get the funds they need for loss of income, pain and suffering and the long recovery that follows a traumatic event. Call Shevlin Smith today at (703) 721-4233 for a free consultation on your case.
