Two men were seriously injured in New Kent County, Virginia on I-64 when their tractor trailer ran off the road in the middle of the night. 

According to the Virginia State Police, a UPS big rig ran off the right side of I-64 westbound at mile marker 206 near the exit for New Kent Highway. The truck driver and passenger were taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. Both were wearing their seatbelts. the cause of the tractor trailer crash is still being investigated.

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It is vital for all drivers, especially tractor trailer drivers, to know that drowsy driving kills. We do not know for certain what caused the crash above, but our personal injury attorneys in Virginia know that most truck accidents that happen in the middle of the night are due to drowsy or distracted driving.

The US government estimates that drowsy driving causes at least 100,000 auto accidents per year. Commerical big rigs and buses in such accidents are the most serious and dangerous. A fully loaded big rig can weigh 80,000 pounds. When a huge truck slams into another vehicle, tree or embankment, the resulting injuries can be terrible, or even fatal.

Long hours on the road for truckers often lead to drivers falling asleep behind the wheel. That is why the FMCSA has created an hours of service schedule that truck drivers must obey. 

The hours of service rules state that all big rig drivers can drive for a maximum of 11 hours after only 10 hours of being off duty. A trucker also may not drive more than 14 hours in a row. But the pressures on the job can make many truck drivers skirt the rules. Trucking companies may offer bonuses and other incentives to encourage drivers to get their shipments to their destination on schedule. That type of incentive system can cause truckers to push themselves too hard with very serious consequences if an accident happens.

If you are injured in a tractor trailer crash, you should know that even if you were a passenger and know the driver, you still may recover financial damages. Some of the damages that you could be entitled to could include pain and suffering, lost wages and medical expenses. If the truck driver was driving negligently, both he and the trucking company through applicable insurance policies could have to compensate you for your damages.