5 Virginia Family Members Killed in Truck Accident

            While driving on Route 50 early Saturday morning in Wye Mills, Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, a family of 5 from Virginia was involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer.  State police said the truck was carrying a 22-ton load and “collided with the car at about 1:15am at Routes 50 and 213.”  Police believe that the tractor-trailer then rolled over the car with the Virginia family, killing everyone inside.  The truck driver was flown to Maryland Shock Trauma in Baltimore.  Police are still investigating the cause of this crash, but do not believe alcohol was involved.

            Truck accidents are common on highways because of increased traffic on the roadways.  This accident occurred on a lesser travelled highway and at a time when few cars are on the road.  Since the cause of the accident is still unknown, it is difficult to determine who was at fault.  In order to obtain large settlements or verdicts in truck accidents, it is necessary that you hire an attorney who knows and fully understands federal and state trucking regulations. The experienced attorneys at Portner & Shure have handled countless commercial truck accident cases resulting in large recoveries.

Some of the most serious truck accidents involve an override collision or an underride collision. An override collision involves a truck driving over an automobile. This type of accident usually occurs when a smaller car follows too closely behind a truck and drives under the truck when it suddenly stops. An underride collision involves a vehicle travelling under the truck where the roof of the car is crushed or stripped.  This accident does not appear to fit in to either of these categories of truck accidents, however, one of the following causes could explain why this accident happened.

Common causes of trucking accidents include:

·         A truck driver’s lack of training

·         Overloaded or oversized trucks

·         Dangerous driving conditions (rain, snow, ice, or fog)

·         Speeding, aggressive or reckless driving

·         Driver fatigue

·         Illegal maneuvers

If you or a family member has been injured or killed in a truck accident, contact Portner & Shure for a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on truck accidents at (410) 995-1515 or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Auto-Accidents/Truck-Accidents/