Did you know that tractor-trailers can cause serious truck accidents even when they aren’t moving at all?
This week we covered the story of a New Kent commercial truck accident that injured two drivers and closed the westbound lanes of I-64 for eight hours. The Virginia truck accident took place when a box truck veered out of its lane and struck an illegally parked 18-wheller, causing both vehicles to burst into flames. Emergency responders rushed to the scene to treat the injured truckers and to put out the blaze, which had spread to the surrounding wooded area. When Virginia State Police arrived at the scene, they charged the box truck driver with reckless driving and the 18-wheeler driver with improper stopping.
What is improper stopping?
Unfortunately, far too many truck accidents occur each year due to improper stopping on the highway or interstate. While there are a number of designated rest stops and pull outs along our highways and interstates – some specifically designed for 18-wheelers and long-haul truckers – some truck drivers still brake the law by stopping their vehicles on the shoulders of busy roads. Although stopping on the shoulder is both legal and appropriate during emergency situations, such as a mechanical problem or flat tire, it is absolutely illegal to stop on the shoulder in non-emergency situations. Still, some truckers will stop to rest, sleep, eat, or conduct business.
Why is improper stopping and illegal parking dangerous?
While it is sometimes necessary to stop on the shoulder of the interstate, for your safety and for others, it is still not a safe place to be. Traffic on highways and interstates travels fast – sometimes at speeds of 70 or 75 miles per hour – and drifting just a few feet to the left or right can mean rear-ending an illegally stopped vehicle on the shoulder. Tractor-trailers are big, heavy, solid vehicles – slamming into a truck while traveling at high speeds is oftentimes deadly.
Every time an 18-wheeler illegally parks on the shoulder of an interstate, they are putting everyone on the road in danger, even if they aren’t in motion.
Virginia Beach truck accident attorneys
All too often, drivers assume that if they struck a vehicle or object, they are automatically at fault. However, this is not necessarily the case. For example, if you hit an improperly stopped or illegally parked vehicle, the other driver – or even the truck company – could be to blame. If you have been involved in a VA truck accident, it is important to fully understand why your accident took place and who was responsible. To learn more about your case, contact the Virginia truck accident lawyers at Shapiro & Appleton& Duffan today.