Interstate 95 is a heavily-traveled artery that spans nearly the entire eastern coast of the United States. Especially in the DC metro area and northern Virginia, I-95 sees countless types of car and truck accidents. On April 18, a truck accident stalled traffic heading south for several hours, after a fatal incident occurred in Stafford County.
State police report that a man had pulled his car over onto the shoulder of the interstate near exit 148. After exiting his vehicle on the highway’s right shoulder, a tractor-trailer slammed into him, tragically taking his life. The driver of the semi truck did not appear to sustain any injuries. The truck accident happened around 1 p.m., and quickly closed two lanes of I-95. Shortly thereafter, all lanes were closed for about an hour. During some of that time, authorities actually had to divert traffic off the interstate near exit 148.
The truck crash required help from various agencies, including the Sheriff’s Office of Stafford County, the local fire and rescue, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and even Quantico Fire and Rescue. A truck accident investigation usually requires input from all of the responders to the scene, and therefore it is helpful for victims or surviving family members to be familiar with those groups’ conclusions.
Deadly truck accidents can occur for a variety of reasons: a speeding driver, for instance, or a trucking company that motivates drivers to log as many miles as possible, as quickly as possible. In addition, while truck drivers must pass specialized exams to earn a commercial driver’s license, there is a potential truck driver shortage in the U.S. As a result, trucking companies may find it tempting to hire unqualified drivers. Finally, today’s cellphone technology can also lead to a truck accident, as distracted driving can have horrendous consequences.
Virginians who have lost a loved one in a truck crash should strive to find out why the accident occurred in the first place. Even if adverse weather conditions were at work, drivers must still obey many safety precautions, and can still be held liable for any devastation or damage they may have caused.
Source: Fredericksburg.com, “Crash shuts down multiple lanes of I-95 southbound,” Robyn Sidersky, April 18, 2013
