The trucking industry deserves credit for the strides it has taken in recent years in efforts to reduce truck accidents and traffic fatalities in Virginia. Since 1975, the combination of increased law enforcement and trucking companies imposing higher standards, training and monitoring for their truck drivers has kept an increase in truck accident injuries (about 140,000 annually) - including neck injuries, back injuries, spinal cord injuries and brain injuries, and truck accident fatalities (about 6000 annually) - in check.  Considering there are nearly 2 million more registered large trucks in the U.S. than there were ten years ago, that’s saying a lot.

However, it remains the case that, in spite of the rules, many truck, tractor trailer and 18-wheeler drivers are still compelled to put their financial interests before safety. Truck drivers delivering goods and cargo across the country almost always have tight deadlines to meet, and not meeting those deadlines can cost them money. This means truck drivers are often in a hurry to meet those deadlines, and as such are more likely in moments of stress and pressure to practice driving and loading habits and shortcuts that can lead to disastrous consequences, particularly in large trucks moving at highway speeds. 

This explains why trucks are still involved in one out of every nine traffic accidents resulting in fatalities. In 94 per cent of those cases, injuries and deaths result only to those in passenger vehicles. Rarely is a truck driver injured in a collision with a passenger vehicle. Below are some leading reasons why truck accidents occur:

• Truck Driver is exhausted or working beyond standard hours
• Mechanical failure, such as bad brakes or turn signal failure
• Truck Driver is not carefully monitoring truck's numerous blind spots
• Truck Driver fails to leave adequate space between vehicles
• Drivers not paying attention to the road
• Truckload is not properly secured, and loose cargo causes accident
• Aggressive or reckless drivers
• One of drivers involved under the influence of drugs or alcohol

While less common than human error, truck accidents caused by defective engine or steering components injure many every year.  Even when no physical injuries occur as a result of a truck accident, truck accidents often cause toxic and hazardous chemical spills that endanger both the environment and innocent passersby. 

What to do if you are in a truck accident

If you ever have the misfortune of being in a truck accident on the busy and overcrowded highways of Virginia, and you or a family member are injured, the Nichols-Zauzig Litigation Group truck accident attorneys will be there to investigate the circumstances of the truck accident, your resulting injuries and the cost you incurred as a result of those injuries. As one can imagine, involvement in a truck accident can be a very traumatic event, and the aftermath can be chaotic and confusing, especially if there have been serious injuries. If you are in a truck accident, be certain not only to contact your insurance company, but also a law firm such as the Nichols-Zauzig Litigation Group that specializes in truck accidents.

The information you should obtain at a truck accident is no different than what you should obtain in any accident involving motor vehicles. This information is as follows:

• Names, addresses, and phone numbers of those involved
• Insurance company information from the other driver(s)
• Contact information for any witnesses
• Names of police officers if any are present at the scene
• Location of the accident
• Any apparent injuries
• Any visible damage to the vehicles involved

Within a few days of the truck accident, you should make sure that you complete the following steps as necessary:

• Inform your insurance company of the accident
• File a police report if there have been any injuries or extensive vehicle damage
• Contact the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to see if a report needs to be filed there
• Contact Nichols-Zauzig Litigation Group for legal counsel about your truck accident injury.

While we list the necessity of contacting our office last on the above list, we urge you to contact Nichols-Zauzig Litigation Group as early in the process as possible. If the injuries you or a loved one have suffered are severe, then you'll need a professional firm that is ready to take focused and effective action in initiating your legal case, so that you can focus on your physical and emotional recovery and care. The sooner we are involved, the better your interests will be served.