Six people were hurt and taken to the hospital with minor injuries after a tractor-trailer crash on I-95 south near Petersburg, Virginia.

Virginia State Police reported that the truck crash happened at 12:41 pm on May 29.

A 2012 Freightliner big rig was traveling on I-95 when it was hit in the front tire by a Honda Accord. The tractor-trailer then hit the left barrier and went partially over the wall into the southbound lanes.

The driver of the big rig was not hurt, but five passengers in the truck were taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The Honda driver also had minor injuries.

Charges are pending against the Honda driver.

Our View

Our personal injury attorneys have worked on many truck accidents over the years, and we are glad that no one was seriously injured in this Virginia truck crash. Cars that drive unsafely around big rigs can get into very serious and often fatal car accidents.

It is important for passenger vehicle drivers to remember that big trucks have limited maneuverability and visibility. The driver often may not be able to see you when you think he can. Or, he may take longer to move or brake than you think. Either scenario can cause a terrible accident. Here are some simple tips to stay out of harm’s way when driving near a tractor trailer:

• Do not travel side by side or close behind a big rig for any longer than necessary. The longer you stay beside or close behind a truck, there is more of a risk of something bad happening.
• Never pass a tractor trailer on the right side when coming up to an intersection. Big trucks sometimes need to swing wide to the left to clear the curb when making a right turn. It is important for passenger vehicles to give trucks enough room to make right turns.
• Allow a lot of clearance between your car and big rigs. Big trucks create substantial wind currents on the highway, and it can affect your car.

Many of our truck accident cases involve events where the truck driver was negligent. But in the above Virginia truck crash, it appears that the Honda driver may have been negligent. Our personal injury attorneys once worked a truck crash case where the truck driver was hit by another truck, leading to his death.

In the wrongful death lawsuit, we showed that the other truck driver suffered from a medical condition that he should have done something about but failed to. We settled that truck crash death case for $2.25 million.