The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 sets the standards for ensuring that interstate truck and bus drivers meet licensing and safe-driving qualifications. The 25-year-old law also provides authorities for taking unsafe and unqualified commercial drivers off America’s highways. As a Virginia truck accident attorney, I’ve recently seen a jump in the number of accidents involving tractor-trailers, which leads me to wonder if it’s time to update federal general regulations for truck drivers.
Just today, Friday July 29, 2011, a tractor-trailer operator caused an accident on I-95 in Woodbridge, Virginia (VA). in which he hit another big rig and a box truck. The crash occurred when the approaching tractor-trailer did not slow down when coming up to the scene of an earlier accident near the interchange with U.S. Route 1.
The at-fault driver plowed his truck into the other tractor-trailer and then struck the box truck. Now, the driver of the box truck is in the hospital and the at-fault tractor-trailer driver is charged with reckless driving.
It appears to be another case of distracted driving or inattention to changing traffic conditions. How does a driver miss seeing vehicles as large as a big rig and a box truck? The accident might well have been fatal had a motorcycle or car been involved.
A lesson to take away from the crash is that all drivers and passenger need to be protected from reckless and negligent commercial truck drivers. Beyond strengthening driver licensing regulations, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your friends and family members when you need to slow down on the interstate for an accident. Specifically, look in your rearview mirror and make sure drivers behind you are also reducing their speeds. If they’re not, try to pull over onto the shoulder to avoid being hit. It is always better to avoid an accident, even if you would not be at fault.
If you have been injured due to a truck driver’s negligence, there are a number of important steps that need to be taken. We recommend downloading our guide to truck accidents.
CT