Manassas Virginia Motor Vehicle Accidents Law Blog

Vacations and pedestrian accidents

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC posted in pedestrian accidents on Monday, June 24, 2019.

Pedestrian accidents occur in many different situations, whether someone is very familiar with a particular route and they are injured while walking to work or a pedestrian is struck while performing their job duties. In other instances, a pedestrian may be less familiar with the roads, such as those who are on vacation, and this can be especially dangerous. Sadly, many pedestrian lives have been lost due to unfamiliarity with the roads, which can be especially concerning when they encounter reckless drivers (such as drunk or speeding drivers).

If you are planning a vacation, it is important to be mindful of any traffic-related hazards if you plan on driving or even walking. Many people walk while they are traveling, whether they want to experience a new area, or they do not have access to a vehicle. Sadly, they may not have any familiarity with various risk factors that are present in certain locations, and the risk of a pedestrian accident may be much higher. Some of these accidents have proven fatal, while others have shattered trips and resulted in massive injuries.

What must pedestrians do to remain safe when walking?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC posted in pedestrian accidents on Thursday, June 20, 2019.

It's crucial for Virginia drivers to respect the presence of pedestrians when out and about. However, pedestrians must also do their part to remain safe, or they risk being involved in a serious and potentially life-threatening accident. These tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration illustrate what you can do to keep yourself and others safe and sound this summer.

When walking with children, make sure they understand the importance of proper pedestrian behavior. Kids often behave unpredictably when walking. Weaving between parked cars and forgoing crosswalks means they will be less visible to vehicles driving in the same area. Until your children are old enough to walk along streets on their own, make sure you supervise their behavior. You should also strive to set a good example at all times.

Sharing the sidewalk with bicyclists

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC posted in pedestrian accidents on Wednesday, June 12, 2019.

When walking in Manassas, you might think it easy to avoid danger: just stay off the road. The area does indeed have several miles of sidewalks on which you can walk. However, pedestrians must also be aware of bicyclists. A collision with a bicyclist can be almost as devastating as one with a car. There can be dangers to both pedestrians and bicyclists when they are not aware of each other.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, bicycles can be ridden on the sidewalk in the Commonwealth unless prohibited by local ordinance. No such laws or policies exist in Manassas or Prince William County. Thus, a bicyclist has as much right to be on the sidewalk as you do as a pedestrian.

Road rage incident targets mom and newborn baby

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC posted in Car Accidents on Friday, May 17, 2019.

A string of recent road rage incidents in Virginia seem to be connected and may be committed by the same person. These incidents have become increasingly more violent throughout the country and the latest situation involved a young mother and her nine-week-old infant.

According to WTKR3, the male driver of the other vehicle approached the passenger side of her car after brake-checking her and zooming around her. The man requested that she roll down her window and then tried to open the door when she refused. The woman feared for her safety and that of her child and felt the behavior was threatening. She first noticed him when he seemed to be driving close to her rear bumper near an intersection.

Take extra precautions when driving at night

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC posted in Car Accidents on Monday, May 6, 2019.

Even after the sun sets in Virginia, thousands of cars, trucks and motorcycles fill the roads. Whether people are coming home from work or heading out for a night on the town, they are still using the roadways to get where they need to go. According to the National Safety Council, people are three times more likely to get into a fatal car accident when driving at night than they are during daylight hours. So, what causes this increased accident rate and what can people do to avoid becoming involved in a catastrophic collision?

A lack of natural light can make driving more difficult. Although the streets may be illuminated with street lights and headlights, the eyes do not operate as well under these conditions. When making a turn out into traffic, it is harder to judge the distance and speed of an oncoming vehicle when it is dark. The lack of light also affects drivers' peripheral vision. It is best to wait until no cars are coming before turning out into traffic.

Rear-end wrecks: Tips to avoid a crash with the driver behind you

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC on Friday, April 26, 2019.

Rear-end collisions happen every day. Drivers may not be focused on the road ahead of them, could fall asleep behind the wheel, might look away at an outside distraction or may be focused on texts. No matter what they were doing, failing to focus can easily lead to a rear-end crash.

A rear-end collision is not impossible to avoid. While you can't control the actions of other drivers, you can look for signs that they're not being safe so that you can get out of the way.

How can you walk safely along the road?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC posted in pedestrian accidents on Tuesday, April 23, 2019.

For some reason, "walking down the street" has been identified as an innocuous scenario. For example, many in Manassas may use it when justifying certain activities, saying that you can just as easily be injured "walking down the street." This phrase affords little appreciation to just how dangerous walking down the street can be, particularly in those scenarios where you (as a pedestrian) may be forced to share the road with vehicles.

When walking, the sidewalk is typically your domain. Vehicles do not drive on it, and you (in turn) avoid walking in the road. Yet there may be times when walking along the roadway is required, such as when no sidewalks are available or those that are may be inaccessible (either due to damage or construction work). The question then becomes how can you safely walk on the road while not interfering with traffic.

What are the common causes of commercial truck accidents?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC posted in Commercial Vehicle Accidents on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.

As a Virginia motorist, you may be used to sharing the road with tractor trailers on a daily basis. These massive vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds and may have as many as three trailers filled with cargo. It is not surprising that an accident with one of these trucks can be catastrophic. From distracted drunk and drowsy truck drivers to reckless motorists who do not know how to drive safely around trucks, commercial truck accidents are not uncommon. It may help you to be familiar with the common causes of large truck accidents so that you may minimize your chances of becoming a victim of a truck accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has regulations in place involving commercial truck maintenance. Truck drivers, as well as commercial truck carriers, are responsible for ensuring their tractor trailers are property maintained. Wear and tear occurs on the trucks as they traverse long distances. An accident can occur from worn brake pads, bad lights or failure in one of the truck's key systems. If a tire blows on the freeway, it can spell disaster for the truckers as well as other motorists on the road.

How does someone recover from a traumatic brain injury?

By The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

Some traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have lasting effects on accident victims. Along with physical issues that result from brain trauma, a person may also experience emotional and cognitive impairments. This makes for a difficult recovery, especially when injuries are severe. The Mayo Clinic explains the effects of TBI and the different treatment options that are currently available.

Three steps to take after a car wreck

On behalf of The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, PLLC on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

Imagine driving across Manassas from your house to your office. Traffic is light and you are running ahead of schedule, which means there is no need to rush. Unfortunately, not everyone is off to such a good start.

As you enter an intersection on a green light, another car suddenly hits you on the passenger side of your vehicle. Now, not only are you going to miss work, but your car has sustained substantial damages and you're beginning to experience pain in various places.