Attorney
The consequences are severe when 18-wheeler and big rig trucks get into accidents with smaller, passenger vehicles. Driver negligence is a big reason for truck-related accidents, and this includes drivers failing to pay attention to traffic and roadway conditions, failing to signal when switching lanes, or running off the road.
Senator Harry Reid’s wife and daughter were seriously injured in a recent, large accident that involved a chain reaction of vehicles slamming into each other. The location was Interstate 95 in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The accident started when a big rig truck rear-ended the family’s Honda Odyssey minivan. The force of the crash pushed the minivan into the back of a Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV, which then rear-ended a Chevy Cobalt. The Senator’s wife suffered a broken, back, and nose, and his daughter received several facial lacerations and a neck injury. Police cited the 59-year-old driver of the big rig for reckless driving.
Though there was little that Senator Reid’s wife and daughter could do in this instance, there are steps that drivers can take to avoid accidents with large, commercial trucks. Drivers should always be aware of their surroundings and ensure that their rear view and side view mirrors provide them an adequate picture of what is around them. They should also be sure to stay out of the blind spots of truck drivers. Trucks are large vehicles, and it is best to stay where their drivers can easily see you.
If you or a loved one has suffered any injuries that stemmed from a truck accident due to truck driver negligence, please contact Northern Virginia personal injury lawyer Justin M. Beall or a Virginia personal injury attorney at Koonz, McKenney, Johnson & DePaolis L.L.P.