Two tow truck drivers died in a horrific tow truck accident on Interstate 64 (I-64) near Oyster Point Road in Hampton, Virginia (VA). One of the tow truck drivers lost control of his vehicle and smashed into the other tow truck while it was helping a disabled sedan on 64 East, according to wtkr.com. The impact of the trucks was so severe that both drivers died at the scene of the crash.
Unfortunately, accidents involving tow trucks are common. For example, back in 2008 a tow truck driver was hit and killed on S. High Street in Columbus, Ohio (OH), according to The Columbus Dispatch. These tragic tow truck accidents illustrate just how dangerous the profession can be for tow truck operators. There are a multitude of safety risks tow truck drivers are exposed to including: the risks of improperly latching the vehicle to the tow truck, the risks of a defective tow that could break off while on a busy road like Hampton Boulevard or highway like Interstate 664 (I-664), and getting hit by another vehicle while latching a vehicle to the tow truck.
Is there anything that can be done to improve the safety of tow truck drivers while they’re out on the job? Well, when it comes to getting hit by another vehicle, the responsibility falls on the other drivers on the road to exercise caution and slow down when they see a tow truck driver doing his job on the side of the road. If possible, try to move into the next lane so you provide as much space between you and the tow truck driver.
PA
Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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