Posted on March 29, 2018 in Pedestrian Accidents

When cars collide with pedestrians in Manassas, it is not difficult to guess who gets the worst of it. Should such an accident occur on a sidewalk, it may also not be difficult to guess who is at fault. Yet when pedestrians enter the roadway, the question of liability becomes somewhat murkier. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that as recently as 2013, 4,735 pedestrians were killed and another 66,000 were injured after being struck by cars. Many of those accidents undoubtedly occurred on roads, where many may assume that cars have the right-of-way. Yet is that true?

According to the Code of Virginia, the answer to that questions depends on the circumstances of the accident. Pedestrians should not attempt to enter the roadway at the middle of the road where there is not a clearly marked crosswalk. While common sense might tell a driver to stop to avoid hitting a pedestrian anywhere on the road, a pedestrian may not be able to blame a driver for not stopping for him or her if he or she is not in a crosswalk, as there are no visible signs to indicate pedestrians might be in the road at such locations.

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 Posted on March 16, 2018 in Motorcycle Accidents

You enjoy an excellent view of all that is around you when riding your motorcycle in Manassas. Sadly, the design of traditional vehicles prohibits drivers from seeing as much. This contributes directly to a common hazard: blind spots. Many of those that we here at Locklin & Coleman, PLLC have worked with following motorcycle accidents have heard the same thing from the drivers that hit them: "I did not see you." Knowing where vehicle blind spots are may make you more aware of the mistakes that may lead a driver to hit you.

The most common blind spots on vehicles are the rear quarter blind spots, which are at rear of both sides of a vehicle. In this particular driving zone, you are past the view afforded to a driver by his or her rearview mirrors, so a simple check of them will not alert him or her of your presence. Only by turning his or her head will he or she see you.

Another common blind spot drivers deal with is the area immediately behind their vehicles. Depending on the design and body style of a car, a driver may not see you approaching and attempt to turn into a lane you are entering. Study data shared by Consumer Reports showed these blind zones to be between 12-24 feet for small sedans to as long as 24-35 feet for pickups.

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 Posted on March 02, 2018 in Car Accidents

Vehicle accidents take a terrible toll in Virginia and the rest of the U.S., with several million crashes occurring each year. Along with more than 30,000 fatalities, nearly 2 million more people suffer injuries that range from concussions to whiplash and much worse. You should always seek a qualified doctor's diagnosis for any pain that you may be experiencing as the result of an accident, but here are some common types of injuries that can occur during a crash.

Injuries to the head and back

One of the most serious injuries in a high-speed crash occurs when drivers and passengers hit their heads on the dashboard, steering wheel or car windows. This may cause traumatic brain injuries that range from light concussions to traumatic brain injuries with permanent cognitive issues. In many cases, long-term medical attention is needed for a host of injuries that can include hearing and vision loss, skull fractures and more.

Substantial nerve damage may result from back injuries that impact the spinal cord; this damage can lead to loss of feeling and control of the victim's legs, feet, arms, hands and other parts of the body. Severe spinal damage can cause paralysis that is permanent. A herniated disk is another common injury, which is typically milder than other mentioned injuries but it can also result in serious problems. Victims may notice numbness or tingling, pain in the arms and legs or muscle weakness.

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 Posted on February 22, 2018 in Car Accidents

Some people are so comfortable behind the wheel of their car that they never think about the bad things that could happen.

In addition to mistakes you can personally make, you have to take into consideration the other people on the road. You never know if another driver will do something that causes a crash.

It's important that you understand the risks associated with distracted driving. Even if you only take your eyes off the road for a second it could lead to a serious accident that results in injury or even death.

To start, you need to fully realize that there is more than one type of distracted driving. Here they are:

• Visual distraction. If you take your eyes off the road it increases the chance of an accident. There are many things that can lead to this, such as looking at your cellphone or turning around to talk to someone in the backseat.
• Cognitive distraction. Does your mind tend to wander when you are behind the wheel? This may not concern you all the time, but daydreaming is a big problem when you're supposed to be focusing on the road.

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 Posted on February 14, 2018 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

The dangers that drowsy drivers (in particular, drowsy truck drivers) pose to you and others traveling on the roads in and around Manassas has been well-documented. You may also know that such drivers are required to follow certain guidelines regulating exactly how long they can drive and to record those hours for review. Yet you may think that such standards are only imposed on drivers transporting freight. Many of the clients that we here at Locklin & Coleman, PLLC have worked with have been surprised to learn that commercial vehicle drivers must also adhere to similar regulations.

You might not group bus drivers and others who transport passengers along with truck drivers due to the unique differences between their jobs. However, while those who transport passengers typically are not required to drive for the same amount of time as semi-truck drivers (or cover the same distances), they too can be subject to fatigue. Because of this, the federal government has also placed hours of service restrictions on them. These regulations (as shared by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) state that one transporting passengers cannot:

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 Posted on January 31, 2018 in Truck Accidents

Most drivers have seen the warning signs hanging over parkways and interstates; in fact, it is hard to avoid them. No matter the state, these signs urge drivers against operating vehicles while drowsy. With all of the warnings aside, is driving tired really as dangerous as, for instance, driving while drunk? Despite the driving habits of countless working Virginians, some experts are afraid so. However, this issue requires a bigger solution than simply getting more rest.

In today's professional world, it can be tempting to go above and beyond work expectations — this includes attempts to work longer hours. Unfortunately, as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shares, drowsy driving is a major problem in the United States, as 1 in 25 adult drivers report having dozed off at the wheel in the last 30 days. The problem not only affects a certain demographic, either: commercial drivers who operate large vehicles, drivers who use medications and those with sleep disorders are at a particularly high risk. Each driver requires different sleep needs, but the CDC states that it is crucial to pull over at any sign of tiredness or fatigue.

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 Posted on January 17, 2018 in Car Accidents

A car crash does not have to take place at high speeds in order for injuries to occur. While high speed accidents often result in obvious physical damage, low speed accidents often cause soft tissue injuries. In these types of injuries the damage is not immediately apparent and pain may set in days or weeks later.

Virginia accident statistics

In 2017 there were 127,375 car crashes resulting in 843 fatalities and 65,306 injuries. Speed and alcohol were a factor in nearly 30,000 of the accidents and accounted for over half of the fatalities. Most of the remaining accidents were low speed collisions. A low speed crash is an accident that happens when a car is travelling twelve mph or less.

Human injury threshold

Insurance companies will often try to claim that low speed accidents occurred at speeds too low to cause any injuries. However, in low speed collisions the impact from the collision is often transferred throughout the vehicle instead of being absorbed by the bumper, resulting in back and neck injuries. The momentum from the crash forces a human neck into a deformed "s" shaped for a fraction of a second in accidents at as low as 2.5 miles per hours. Most whiplash injuries occur in low speed accidents.

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 Posted on January 12, 2018 in Car Accidents

Teen drivers are excited to say the least. They're getting more freedom with their ability to drive, and that means they're likely to want to get out and go as soon as they can.

With new freedoms does come some trouble, though. Teens have less experience driving, and that opens them up to mistakes that could lead to serious accidents. That doesn't have to happen, though, if they understand what they can do to stay safe.

1. Avoid talking on or using a cellphone

Yes, smartphones are part of everyday life, but they shouldn't be used while people are behind the wheel. Looking down at the phone for only a few seconds is enough time to end up in a collision. While you're looking away, traffic could stop ahead of you, you could approach a traffic light that turned red or you could fail to see a hazard ahead.

2. Avoid too many passengers

Teens who ride with peer passengers are more likely to get into an accident because of distractions. To avoid this, limit the number of peer passengers at any one time. A single passenger might be appropriate, whereas a car full of teens could result in a crash.

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 Posted on January 05, 2018 in Motorcycle Accidents

There is nothing quite like taking an exhilarating motorcycle ride in and around Manassas. Yet as a motorcyclist, you know full well that taking such a trip often means putting your safety in the hands of the motorists on the roads around you. Sadly, for some of those that we here at Locklin & Coleman, PLLC have worked with, such rides have ended in tragedy due to motorists not taking the obligation to share the road seriously. Many of those involved in accidents with motorcyclists claim that it was the motorcyclists' unanticipated actions that caused such collisions, such as darting into their lanes without warning.

How can you counter such a claim? Yes, your bike most likely has signaling lights, yet is there more you should do to clearly indicate your intentions to others on the road? Virginia law encourages the use of hand signals to make your ride safer. Section 46.2-849 of the Code of Virginia describes the state's approved roadway hand signals to be:

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 Posted on December 22, 2017 in Car Accidents

Drunk drivers are not the only road hazard during the holidays. As families in Virginia and throughout the U.S. make their annual treks "home for the holidays," driver fatigue is another reason you should exercise caution on America's highways.

The federal government cites a report on commercial truck drivers, who regularly put in long hours behind the wheel, which finds fatigue is a factor in about 13 percent of the accidents in this group. Tips for drivers like you on extended trips to help reduce fatigue follow here.

Try not to drive during the hours your body is naturally tired, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and from midnight to 6 a.m. You will be fighting your body's internal clock, which fights back even harder when you are on the road for an extended period.

Do not skip meals; maintain your regular eating habits and times as an irregular eating schedule can add to fatigue. Be sure to go to bed on a long-empty stomach, but do not go overboard before turning in either. Both hunger and overeating can lead to sleep problems. Try a light snack before bed.

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