Garbage Truck Accidents in Virginia Are Often Deadly
Garbage trucks are familiar sights in neighborhoods in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk and Hampton. Many people do not realize it, but these are among the most dangerous vehicles on the roads. Garbage truck accidents in Virginia are often deadly.
Garbage and recycling trucks can weigh up to 50,000 tons. These are bulky vehicles with blind spots. They make frequent stops and starts. Often drivers or sanitation workers become distracted by their job and may not notice children, pedestrians or other vehicles.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a garbage truck accident in Virginia, you should contact our experienced Norfolk garbage truck injury attorneys.
Four Types of Garbage Truck that May be Involved in Virginia Accidents
There are many different types of garbage trucks. They can all pose hazards to sanitation workers, homeowners, other motorists and pedestrians. They are:
- Front Loaders– These garbage and recycling trucks are equipped with forks that pick up items from the front;
- Rear Loaders – Garbage is loaded into these trucks from the rear;
- Side Loaders– The fork on side loaders picks up items from the side;
- Grapple Trucks– Grapple trucks have a grapple loader mounted to their frame which is used for loading and sometimes hauling bulky waste.
Garbage trucks are dangerous for a number of reasons. The sheer bulk of these vehicles means accidents even at a low speed can be deadly.
Reasons for Garbage Truck Accidents in Virginia
- They drive into narrow streets and subdivisions. Often garbage trucks operate in places where other big rigs don’t go. They go down narrow streets and into subdivisions to pick up trash or materials for recycling.
- Distracted drivers and operators. A garbage truck driver has to multitask. He or she is looking out for other garbage workers and operating mechanisms on the truck. The driver of a garbage truck may not pay attention to potential dangers on the road.
- They have large blind spots. Garbage and recycling trucks are among the bulkiest trucks on the road. Like dump trucks, they have sizeable blind spots. The lack of visibility can cause enormous problems when they are close to driveways or alleyways when they are picking up garbage,
- They make many stops and turns. Garbage trucks stop and start all the time. You should not drive close behind them as they may suddenly stop causing you to drive into the back of the truck. They can also suddenly pull away from driveways, posing a danger to children and other pedestrians. .
How Often Do Accidents Involving Garbage Trucks Occur in Virginia?
Accidents involving garbage trucks are rarer than crashes involving dump trucks and 18 wheelers. They can be very serious when they occur. Earlier this year, a garbage truck was involved in a seven-vehicle crash in Arlington, Virginia that left one person injured.
In West Virginia, a sanitation worker was killed when the garbage truck he was traveling in turned over this year. The 22-year-old was among three workers in the truck which was involved in a rollover accident near the Interstate 64/77 split in Charleston. The other two workers suffered injuries.
You should always keep your distance when you see a garbage truck on your street. If you or a loved one has been injured in a garbage truck accident in Virginia, please call our trucking wreck attorneys today at (757) 455-0077.
