Virginia State Police have charged a dump truck driver from Staunton after his truck bed slammed into an overpass over I-81. The bed hit the bridge with enough force that the bed broke off the truck. It landed vertically on the highway. 

The wreck happened just south of the New Market VA exit.

The driver has been charged with reckless driving, driving with bad brakes and failing to have a commercial driver’s license.

There were no injuries in the mishap, but the bridge will require serious repairs that will take several weeks.

As Virginia trucking accident attorneys, we know that some trucking companies and their drivers do not always follow the regulations that they are required to obey as outlined by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association.

One of the most vital regulations, and most often skirted, is Section 393 of the federal regulations, titled Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation. This section details what must be on a tractor trailer, dump truck or similar commercial truck when it rides on US interstates and highways.

Many trucking companies do not comply with Section 393 to save money. They often send their rigs onto our roads without conducting mandatory safety inspections.

Our personal injury lawyers have represented clients that were horribly injured by big rig that had poor brakes, bald and/or underinflated tires, and outdated equipment.

Inadequate brakes, which the above dump truck had, is a massive safety violation, which is outlawed in Section 393.40. All big rigs must have sufficient braking ability to stop and hold the vehicle within a reasonable distance.

We wish the day would come that all trucking companies and their drivers would take their safety obligations seriously. Until that day, we will continue to represent the victims of reckless truckers who are injured in avoidable accidents, such as this $3.5 million settlement caused by an irresponsible truck driver.