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Truck Accident Claims Driver’s Life in Virginia

A truck driver was killed recently when the tractor-trailer he was driving broke through a guardrail, overturned, and slid down an embankment, according to a report in Allentown's The Morning Call, a regional newspaper.

Nicholas A. Marlin, 31, of Telford, PA, was merging onto Interstate 81 northbound from Interstate 77 in Wythe County, about 10 miles north of Wytheville, Virginia, state police said.

"The tragic accident demonstrates once again the safety risks that even experienced drivers face daily on roads in Virginia and the rest of the U.S.," says Michael S. Weisberg, an attorney based in Norfolk, VA who specializes in personal injury claims.

Though the cause of the Wytheville, VA crash that occurred on March 8, 2011 remains unknown, federal government officials report that driver fatigue causes at least 30 percent of truck driving accidents. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicates that the figure could be as high as 40 percent when all heavy truck accidents are considered.

Last year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced new rules that restrict the hours of service of a truck driver during a regular work day. New regulations prohibit drivers from driving more than 11 hours, provided they have taken 10 straight hours off duty.

But adhering to such rules is difficult for many, as some truck stops no longer allow drivers to sleep on the premises and many shipping companies press drivers to deliver as fast as possible. Also, drivers are traditionally paid by the mile, so they are encouraged to maximize their travel time to get their loads delivered.

But no load needs to be delivered at any cost - especially if that cost is a human life.

New research from Penn State University indicates that the risk of a crash is "highest" during the 11th hour-the last permissible hour of the work day. Researchers also found that multi-day driving schedules "significantly increased" risk for drivers. Most surprisingly, the researchers found that trucks that have a sleeping compartment are more likely to be involved in a crash than those that do not. The demands of drivers with sleeper cabs appear to hamper their performance, according to Penn State researchers.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident in Virginia, call our law offices right now for a consultation with our team of specialists. Call 1-800-690-0235 today. We can help get your wheels in motion again.


Michael S. Weisberg, P.C.
112 College Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: (757) 622-7740
Fax: (757) 533-9223
Toll Free: (800) 690-0235
Email: info@weislaw.com
www.weislaw.com