Posted on August 13, 2020 in Car Accidents

It's a challenge to safely operate a motor vehicle when conditions are perfect. So, if you throw rain into the equation, you have good reason to be concerned about your well-being.

There are many reasons why car accidents happen in the rain, including the following:

• Speeding: When roadways are slick, it's more difficult for your car's tires to maintain traction. Adding to this, if you strike standing water at a high rate of speed, you're at risk of hydroplaning.
• Low visibility: In heavy rain, your visibility, as well as that of other drivers, is limited. Even if you can see where you're going, your ability to spot other vehicles or objects on the roadway is greatly reduced.
• Following distance: It's more difficult for a motor vehicle to come to a stop when the road is wet. So, if you don't leave enough following distance, there's a greater chance of hitting a vehicle from behind. It's better to be safe than sorry, so leave extra space when possible.

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 Posted on August 11, 2020 in Car Accidents

Some criminal offenses obviously do harm to others. Robbery deprives one person of possessions and can also produce emotional trauma for the victim. Drug possession, on the other hand, while illegal, often does no direct harm to other individuals beyond the person hurting their body with dangerous substances.

In the eyes of some people, that makes the possession offense a so-called victimless crime. Quite a few people also think of speeding as a victimless crime. After all, they are the ones who have to trust in their own driving capability and who might wind up hurt if they get in a crash because they go too fast for road conditions.

However, speeding is not necessarily a victimless crime. If a driver going too fast causes a collision, the people in the other car could wind up hurt or even dying as a result.

Speeding causes thousands of fatal crashes each year

While some people think that speeding offenses are only a priority for law enforcement because writing tickets helps generate income for police departments, the truth is that stopping people from speeding may prevent fatal crashes. It's the same reason that officers are often proactive about deterring drunk driving.

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 Posted on August 10, 2020 in Car Accidents

When one area in a city or county sees more collisions than others, it's very important for the government there to make decisions to help keep people safer. For intersections, that might mean installing traffic lights or stop signs to make people slow down and look both ways. It may mean reducing the speed limit, trimming back trees or removing items that block people's vision.

In Manassas, you may have struggled with traffic on Williamson Boulevard and Stonehouse Drive in the past, but you can rely on a new traffic signal to help you avoid collisions there now. Of course, it will take some time for people to get used to these new traffic signals, so approach with caution as you drive through the area.

This new signal was commissioned and cost approximately $815,000. The funds came from the state and federal government's Highway Safety Improvement Program. The goal was to help improve the intersection for drivers and pedestrians, as well as to help improve operations at the intersection. There are now pedestrian crossings in two places as well as yellow arrows that flash and signal when it's acceptable to make U-turns and left turns from Williamson to Stonehouse.

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 Posted on August 05, 2020 in Car Accidents

Temperatures are rising around the nation, and summer is in full bloom. Lots of motorists, relieved that the winter snows and the spring storms are over, are finally relaxing a little.

Unfortunately, that's a mistake. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, summer is actually the most dangerous time of all to be on the road. Every year, traffic fatalities start rising after the snows wind down. They peak around August and then decline again once the cold weather returns.

What's behind the phenomenon? There are probably a number of different factors in play, including:

• Increased travel due to vacationers, day trippers and more: With more vehicles on the road, you're likely to have more accidents.
• More motorcycles and bicycles in traffic: When the weather gets nice, the bikes come out. However, drivers in trucks and passenger vehicles aren't always as observant as they should be.

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 Posted on July 30, 2020 in Car Accidents

You were in a car accident. The other driver was distracted by their cellphone or radio and plowed right into you at a stoplight. You felt lucky to walk away from the wreck of your vehicle with nothing more than a few bad bruises.

Hold on. Before you decide your bruises aren't worrisome, you should know that bruises can be a signal that something is seriously wrong. For example, a lot of car injury victims suffer from something called "seat belt syndrome," where they suffer internal injuries related to the compression of their bodies against their own seat belts. Sometimes these life-threatening conditions are erroneously dismissed as "nothing more than a few bruises" until a patient collapses.

Your bruises may be hiding a severe injury if:

• They appear somewhere where you feel no pain from an injury
• They are on your legs and black

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 Posted on July 27, 2020 in Truck Accidents

According to the IIHS, truck accidents were responsible for the deaths of over 4,100 people in 2018, and 67 percent of these fatalities were people traveling in passenger vehicles. Many of these truck accidents are caused by the negligence of truck drivers. This negligence may include:

• Driver Fatigue – Federal regulations require that truck drivers take regular breaks and limit the number of hours a driver is allowed to drive continuously. However, some drivers and their companies violate these rules in an effort to make their deliveries on time. As a result, drivers fall asleep behind the wheel and lose control of their trucks.
• Drug and alcohol use – Driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol can caused slowed reaction times and impaired judgment, resulting in devastating accidents.
• Speeding - Commercial trucks are much larger and heavier than standard passenger vehicles, and take much longer to come to a complete stop. Truck drivers that operate their trucks at an excessive rate of speed may not be able to stop in time to avoid an accident. Drivers may also be driving too fast while making a turn, causing the truck to jackknife out of control.

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 Posted on July 22, 2020 in Firm News

As states begin to open and people return to work, the once empty highways, city streets, and back roads are buzzing with traffic. When you have traffic, you have accidents. The current pandemic is by no means over, so what do you do when you are in an accident? What precautions do you need to take and know?

Below are the four top safety measures you need to know to protect yourself at the scene of a crash.

1. Grab your mask: Wear your mask at all times while at the scene of the accident. Also, remember to keep six-feet of the distance between yourself and others at the scene, and do not touch anything or anyone.
2. Call the authorities: If it's a fender bender or a more serious accident, call the police to file a report and protect against false claims by the other party.
3. Exchange Information: While you are gathering information from another driver, pedestrian, or property owner, make sure to wear your mask and gloves if need be, and keep a safe distance of six-feet apart. The best option is to use your cell phone to take a photo of the necessary information.

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 Posted on July 17, 2020 in Car Accidents

Drowsy driving is a serious offense that can lead to traffic accidents. It is the unfortunate truth that many people are behind the wheels of their vehicles when they haven't had enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep can make you just as dangerous as a drunk driver. You may have impaired reaction times, make poor decisions or have trouble processing information.

According to the National sleep Foundation, fatigue and sleepiness decrease your performance behind the wheel and in all other aspects of your life.

Getting the right rest can save lives

Getting the right rest before you drive can save lives. Everyone needs different amounts of sleep depending on age, health and other factors. On the whole, drivers should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep before they decide to drive.

Who is most likely to drive drowsy?

The people who are most likely to drive drowsy include:

• Anyone who isn't getting enough sleep
• Commercial drivers who drive buses, tractor-trailers or tow trucks

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 Posted on July 17, 2020 in Car Accidents

Have you ever been driving and realized you are further than you thought? Have you been so tuned into the music that you drifted off, or been driving at night fighting to keep your eyelids open? You are not alone. One in 25 adult drivers admitted to falling asleep at the wheel in the last month, according to research carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Even if you manage to avoid falling asleep, feeling sleepy is dangerous when driving: Your concentration is not as sharp and your reactions are slower. Road builders know this; that is why they put textured rumble strips along the side of lanes - to wake you up if you do drift.

Certain people are more at risk than others: those who drive for a living, those who work night shifts, those who have sleep issues and those on certain prescription drugs.

There are some things you should do to reduce the chance of dozing while driving. Try to get a good night of sleep and when possible, stick to regular hours for going to bed. Turn off your screens before you go to bed; they affect your brain's ability to switch off properly. Check any medicines to ensure they do not cause drowsiness.

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 Posted on July 09, 2020 in Car Accidents

It is normal if you feel frustrated or confused by an insurer's denial of your claim, especially if you are certain the other driver was at fault. After all, we rely on insurance companies to provide financial netting for us when these incidents occur. Unfortunately, complications can arise that leave us injured yet empty-handed. But know that you are not without resources nor without rights.

Why was I denied?

First, it may help you to understand the extent of the insurer's reasoning behind your denial. It is likely the insurance adjuster either doesn't believe your side of the story holds merit or that they believe they have seen enough evidence to support the other driver's side. It is also possible that the insurance company believes the cause of the accident to be an act of God or that their insured's policy lapsed because they failed to keep up with their payments. The insurance company may just not believe that you were injured.

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