Do Virginia Rest Area Limits Put Tired Truck Drivers On The Roads?

Virginia (VA) Truck Accident Injury Lawyers
Offices in VA Beach, Hampton & Elizabeth City, NC 

Landline Magazine, the official publication of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, reported on how the Virginia Department of Transportation is currently handling the balance between upholding a law against sleeping at rest stops and preventing truck accidents due to fatigued drivers.

The article states that 20 years ago, the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board passed a law limiting rest stop stays to two hours. However, although this law prevents motorists from sleeping in the rest stop areas, it also means that tired trucks - truckers who are legally barred from driving after a certain number of hours - are often forced back onto the road.

Although some say that the Virginia State Police have been told to ignore the law when it comes to fatigued truckers, truck drivers in the area report getting ticketed and even forced back onto the highway despite their lack of rest. A spokesperson from the Virginia State Police advised that truckers plan ahead and get a room when they are tired.

Back in the year 2000, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended to all states like Virginia that they take the two-hour limit off the books so that only alert drivers are on the road. However, the old laws still persist today. In addition, inadequate parking for truck drivers persists along two of the states main trucking corridors, Interstate 95 and Interstate 81.

"We are at a point where we are looking to see what we can revise in the administrative code," said Martin Krebs of VDOT. "We exist to reduce roadside fatality and accidents, and people need to have access off the interstates to rest to avoid fatigue-related accidents."

On the other hand, Landline has reported that a number of truckers had contacted the publication saying that Virginia State Police had woken them from their sleep and asked them to leave the public rest area - whether they were rested and prepared to drive safely or not.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.

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Our Virginia personal injury lawyers have been selected for many accolades.

Two of the VA injury attorneys with our firm, James Lewis and Rick Shapiro, have been named among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Lewis and Shapiro have also selected for inclusion in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. Leiws and Shappiro, along with attorney John C. have been recognized as Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010.

Ours was the first personal injury firm in Virginia invited to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Rick Shapiro was named as one of the Top 100 Injury Lawyers in Virginia by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained what was then the largest verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person. Our brain-damaged client received an initial award of $46 million that increased to $60 million with interest compounded while the defendant pursued a failed appeal, and was confidentially settled during the appeal.

 

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Our lawyers handle personal injury cases throughout the eastern United States and work closely with lawyers in other states on signficant injury cases.

In Virginia, we are prepared to counsel and represent injury and wrongful death victims in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Richmond, Petersburg, Roanoke, Salem, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, Ashland, Big Stone Gap and all of the Eastern Shore, including the towns of Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island.

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Attorneys with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton hold licenses to practice in VA, WV, North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL) and Washington, DC.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have experience handling truck wreck cases. Check out our truck accident case results and our free consumer guide on what to do if you get involved in an accident with a commercial truck.

We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia, including Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Newport News, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been named to the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Jim and Rick have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of practicing lawyers receive this honor.

In addition, our VA injury law firm was the first in the commonwealth to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms, and we have the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization. The rating indicates we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

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