Posted on March 13, 2013 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

When police officers take to the road in their own vehicles, Virginians often assume their behaviors are always safe and lawful. However, no drivers are above the law, nor are law enforcement personnel immune to the temptations of distracted driving. A recent case out of neighboring West Virginia involves a police officer who is accused of talking on his cell phone and causing a fatal car accident.

The incident occurred in October of 2011, when, according to a woman whose mother died as a result of the crash, a deputy sheriff driving in the town of Quincy hit another car. The sheriff was in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, headed east on U.S. Route 60 when he hit a car making a left turn. Inside the turning car was an 85-year-old passenger, who suffered serious injuries after the traumatic collision. Sadly, the woman succumbed to her many injuries a few days later in an area hospital.

The deceased crash victim's 58-year-old daughter is now alleging that the deputy sheriff was a negligent driver whose distracted driving led to a wrongful death. The facts surrounding the accident appear to support her claim: the officer was traveling over the speed limit when the crash occurred, and he admitted in a statement that he had been having a conversation on a mobile phone at the time. He also said that he was not using a hands-free mobile device.

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 Posted on March 08, 2013 in Drunk Driving Accidents

In Virginia, it's not just those behind the wheel that can be charged with endangering others on the road. An alleged drunk driving accident that occurred last month in Bedford County involves a passenger being arrested for driving under the influence. While traveling in a car with four other people, a 23-year-old woman from Roanoke allegedly grabbed the wheel and caused the car to crash, according to another passenger.

All five individuals were later hospitalized when the vehicle flipped over near Virginia 24. The passenger now faces a charge of reckless driving and misdemeanor DUI. While fortunately no deaths occurred in this incident, several people in a car, with any one of them drunk, can pose a massive hazard. An intoxicated person, even if they are not technically in the driver's seat, can still cause a car to careen out of control. A drunk person's poor judgment and impaired motor skills can lead to acting out, harming the car itself, or distracting the driver.

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 Posted on February 27, 2013 in Car Accidents

When natural hazards, such as the weather, or man-made dangers, such as a stray construction cone, pose a danger to motorists, it's important for drivers to still show responsibility on the road. A car crash can easily result from either of the above, and other motorists or pedestrians can sustain serious injuries either way. The recent controversy surrounding a Virginia public official underscores the presence of potholes on the state's roads.

The former Hampton Roads district administrator for the state department of transportation, VDOT, resigned on February 15, despite nearly ten years of service in the position. The decision came after criticism regarding the handling of dangerous road conditions. In particular, a strong rainstorm on Interstate 264 earlier this month led to the formation of numerous potholes along the busy route. Conditions became so unsafe that Virginia State Police had to close down portions of the roadway.

Potholes can pose countless threats to motorists, from a simple flat tire to a multi-vehicle accident caused by swerving. Unlike other highway hazards, such as deer that congregate near wooded areas or ice that forms near bridges, it can be tough to predict where a pothole will occur. According to the mayor of Hampton, Molly Joseph Ward, properly maintaining roads is difficult without adequate funding.

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 Posted on February 23, 2013 in Truck Accidents

Whether one is behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler or a moped, it is imperative to devote one's full attention to the road ahead. However, in today's high-tech world, distractions can prove more dangerous for drivers than ever before. According to information from the Virginia Tech Traffic Institute, distracted driving contributed to 6,000 fatalities in America in 2010, the most recent year such data is available. Moreover, distracted driving was a factor in 500,000 injuries.

Adding to these alarming statistics is the fact that driving while distracted can be deadly no matter which type of vehicle one is operating. Trucking accidents caused by distracted driving can lead to catastrophic injuries or worse, as the size differential between tractor-trailers and personal vehicles can be vast.

The Virginia Tech study categorized distractions as belonging to several different groups: visual, manual and cognitive. In the first group, anything that diverts a driver's vision from the road poses a threat. This can include reading a billboard of looking at a cellphone screen.

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 Posted on February 12, 2013 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Parts of a car left at the scene of an accident proved to be instrumental in tracking-down the vehicle's driver, whom Virginia police say fled the scene of a deadly crash on January 29. Along with help from the Wilson Fire Department, Virginia State Police investigated a traumatic incident that left a 47-year-old man dead and another man on the run.

While fatal car accidents typically involve a car striking another car or truck, or a drunk driver wreaking havoc on the road, some crashes feature a different type of motorized vehicle, but with the same result: death. Such was the case in late January in Lyndhurst, when police say a car struck a moped on Mount Torrey Road near the Shenandoah Valley Animal Shelter. Initially, the car continued on its way, its driver failing to stop and check on the condition of the moped's operator. Unfortunately, the driver of the moped died as a result of the collision, which occurred around 8 p.m. on a Tuesday night.

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 Posted on February 06, 2013 in Car Accidents

Over a period of just nine hours during the winter storm of Friday, January 25, Virginia Beach police responded to a massive number of auto crashes. Almost 200 car accidents tangled-up the icy roadways that day, with a total of 275 accidents in Virginia Beach over the entire weekend. The time period between 3 p.m. and midnight that Friday, though, was the busiest for area responders. They were called to the scenes of 185 accidents that afternoon and evening, with nine of those featuring reported injuries.

The following Saturday, local officers continued their busy schedule of responding to car crash sites. January 26 saw 63 accidents in Virginia Beach; eight of those included injuries. On Sunday, the number of accidents continued to go down, but police still reported 18 car accidents, with one involving injuries. Fortunately, none of these numerous accidents resulted in the deaths of any drivers or passengers, but authorities did report plenty of minor injuries.

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 Posted on January 28, 2013 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Transportation safety researchers from the University of California - Berkeley and the University of West Virginia have noticed a troubling aspect of vehicle safety design, one that could point to a link between obesity and the risk of dying in a fatal car accident.

According to Thomas Rice and Motao Zhu, cars are generally engineered to provide a safe structure to drivers and passengers of normal weight. Obese occupants, on the other hand, may not benefit as much from existing car safety design. The researchers reviewed the extensive Fatality Analysis Reporting System, or FARS, to get an idea of fatal motor vehicle accidents in America. Looking at information spanning over a decade between 1996 and 2008, the scientists found that a higher body mass index (BMI) corresponded with a higher risk of death in the event of a crash.

The research team examined only collisions involving two cars, with both of the vehicles being of similar size and structure. Observing the data gathered from over 57,000 accidents, they found that drivers with a BMI between 30 and 34.9 (considered obese) had a 21 percent higher risk of dying in a car accident than their non-obese counterparts. Extremely obese drivers, or those with a BMI of 40 or above, saw a whopping 80 percent increase in their risk of death by car accident, compared to drivers with a normal BMI (between 18.5 and 24.9).

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 Posted on January 22, 2013 in Car Accidents

Virginia Marine Police don't typically place handcuffs on a motor vehicle driver, but in some instances, these authorities must intervene on land as well as sea. One such incident occurred on the night of January 14, when a car accident in Virginia Beach damaged several other vehicles.

Police say that around 9:30pm, a car speeding west on Interstate 264 initially fled the patrol cars pursuing it. The driver of the vehicle then proceeded to run a red light, strike a power pole, and roll over. The man behind the wheel was ejected during the auto accident, thereby sustaining serious injuries.

The car crash caused live power lines to fall upon cars in a nearby parking lot, damaging the vehicles.

Virginia Marine Police plan to issue the following charges against the driver: attempting to elude police, running a red light, and reckless driving. In Virginia, a reckless driving offense can lead to license suspension, a fine, or even time in jail. However, the penalties pale in comparison to the damage done to others on the road.

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 Posted on January 16, 2013 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

A truck driver died and a Virginia Department of Transportation sustained injuries as the result of a recent truck accident. The tractor-trailer accident occurred on U.S. Highway 58 during the morning hours, as the road was temporarily closed down for repairs.

A flatbed truck without a load was traveling west a load when it hit a Virginia Department of Transportation vehicle, sending the flatbed careening from the roadway and into some nearby trees. The 63-year-old truck driver did not have his seatbelt secured, and succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Additionally, the injured highway worker is expected to make a full recover.

According to Virginia State Police, alcohol is not believed to have played a role in the deadly incident. In addition, none of the signs placed on the road by state workers were malfunctioning at the time of the crash. It is unclear if the flatbed truck was speeding, or what exactly contributed to the accident.

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 Posted on January 09, 2013 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Just two nights before Christmas, a deadly crash occurred on U.S. 17 in Virginia, leaving one man dead and another fleeing on foot from the scene. Virginia State Police are now actively searching for the man they say was responsible for the fatal car accident.

A little after 6 p.m. on Dec. 23, a person driving a Toyota was heading south on Route 17 when the driver of a Ford pickup truck rear-ended the vehicle, pushing it into the path of another car heading south. Both the Toyota and the pickup truck veered off to the side of the roadway.

The frightening incident happened slightly south of State Route 28 in Fauquier County.

Fatal motor vehicle accidents are, unfortunately, not unusual during the holidays. However, in this traumatic crash, authorities allege the 32-year-old driver of the pickup truck ran from the scene of the accident before police arrived. State police now have a felony hit-and-run warrant for the man's arrest.

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