Two-car accident spurs multi-vehicle pileup on Virginia roadway

Any bad event can have a negative ripple effect, including car accidents that happen on major interstates. On Aug. 11 in central Virginia, a two-car auto accident quickly spiraled into a horrendous multi-vehicle accident that wound up causing several injuries. The car crash occurred on Interstate 81 near Lexington, on a mid-August weekend that featured heavy rains.

According to police, the initial accident involved a car resting in the median, blocking part of one lane. Another car partially blocked another lane in the same direction amidst a strong downpour. Other cars were attempting to drive between the two vehicles, which were blocking sections of lanes, but the poor visibility made it a tenuous task. A state police sergeant noted that conditions fused together at just the right time for an auto crash.

A total of six tractor-trailer trucks became a part of the pileup. Some of these large vehicles were still overturned by the road the next Monday morning. Some truck drivers apparently made the decision to veer off the road instead of hitting other vehicles. Police say those decisions may have made the pileup less catastrophic than it was. Still, despite the fortunate absence of fatalities, ten people were injured, and two individuals required airlift to the hospital.

Police believe the torrential rains and speed were factors that led to the crash. While the weather, of course, is out of drivers’ control, their own actions on the interstate are not. Speeding in adverse conditions can clearly cause all types of accidents, including multi-car pileups, which injure others. These types of crashes, in particular, can prove very confusing for victims. Car accident attorneys though, can investigate the causes of a crash, and help victims determine their next steps in light of an injury.

Source: CBS News, “41-vehicle pileup in Virginia injures 10 people in Va.,” Aug. 12, 2013.