Posted on November 01, 2013 in Drunk Driving Accidents

Most drivers believe there is no more dangerous a situation than drunk driving. The effects of a drunk driving accident can be terrifying, from fiery crashes to the lives lost as a result. However, thanks to ubiquitous cell phone technology, there is now another behavior that can produce very similar results: texting while driving.

According to one Virginia State Police trooper, the behavior of a driver who is texting mimics that of a driver who is intoxicated. Drivers who text tend to swerve, which can result in crossing lanes or a head-on collision. Studies tend to agree with the trooper. A study from the University of Utah revealed that reaction time tends to be delayed as much by texting as it is by having a blood alcohol content of.08 percent. In Virginia, this BAC level means that a driver can be ticketed for DUI.

In Virginia, there are strict laws against both drunk driving and texting while driving. A trooper can stop a person seen texting while behind the wheel, and the texting driver can be fined $150 for their first offense. Virginia police can also subpoena a driver's phone records to prove texting. According to a study from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, the possibilities of an accident can double or even triple when a texting driver attempts phone-related tasks.

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 Posted on October 25, 2013 in Truck Accidents

Drivers in Virginia are accustomed to encountering various types of vehicles on the road. From large cement-churning trucks to small smart cars and even scooters and bicycles, there are countless different modes of transport on Virginia roadways. However, some can pose a serious danger to other motorists and their passengers, as a recent truck accident shows.

On Route 288 in Chesterfield, a logging truck driven by a 23-year-old operator ran off the left side of the southbound lanes. The large vehicle overturned, and the resulting truck crash spewed logs that wound up in the road's travel lanes. Two vehicles hit the truck and logs, and a 27-year-old man lost his life in the tractor trailer accident. The driver of the log-laden semi-truck was charged with reckless driving.

For anyone on the road, there's probably nothing scarier than seeing a semi-truck overturn or spill its contents onto the road. The vast majority of the time, though, either scenario is preventable. Drivers who transport materials must follow certain safety protocols that prevent contents from falling off and hitting other vehicles. Likewise, truck drivers must follow the same rules of the road that other drivers do; as a result, crashes that lead to spilled contents can often be traced back to negligence or recklessness.

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 Posted on October 16, 2013 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Northern Virginia and the DC metro area are both home to many wealthy residents. When powerful figures are involved in fatal car accidents, though, the victims of those crashes still have the same rights under the law as anyone else. Recently, the co-owner of the Mars candy company, a woman in her 70s, apparently caused a fatal crash.

Earlier this month, the woman was driving her Porsche SUV in Aldie when she crossed the road's center line. Crossing lanes can easily portend disaster, and this instance was no different. The SUV hit a minivan, and an 86-year-old passenger in that vehicle died at the scene of the wreck. According to a spokesperson for the Mars co-owner, she has been filled with sorrow since the accident.

While a driver's grief is highly understandable in an incident like this, the family of the deceased is bound to feel even more pain. A car accident victim can experience a emotional shock and physical injuries, and if a fatality occurs the financial surprises can haunt surviving family members. Many families have to deal with funeral expenses, loss of income, medical expenses incurred prior to the victim's passing and, finally, mental pain and suffering.

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 Posted on October 11, 2013 in Drunk Driving Accidents

Early on a weekend morning is not a particularly unusual time for car accidents. It's not uncommon for alcohol-related accidents to occur in this time period in northern Virginia, as a recent drunk driving accident indicates.

The fatal incident occurred less than an hour after midnight on a Sunday morning in Loudoun County. A BMW collided with a motorcycle, severely injuring both the motorcycle's driver as well as its passenger. Both parties succumbed to their injuries afterwards at a local hospital. The driver of the BMW, a 52-year-old from Ashburn, was not hurt in the accident. He was, however, charged with driving under the influence and was held without bond.

A drunk driver has the potential to cause any number of injuries, many of them fatal. A drunk driver in congested Northern Virginia has even more capability to cause damage. In this case, the crash investigation is ongoing and will be under review by the Commonwealth's Attorney.

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 Posted on October 02, 2013 in Truck Accidents

When a truck collides with any sort of passenger vehicle, there will almost certainly be serious injuries involved. But when a large truck strikes a relatively small vehicle, it's shocking if anyone makes it out alive. On September 27, a cattle truck hit a Chevy Cavalier in Augusta County, and the accident claimed the lives of two men from that county.

The truck accident occurred when a cattle truck went over the center lane on Route 254. A 2002 Chevy Cavalier was struck as a result, and its two occupants died away at the scene. A head-on collision is often the worst type of truck crash, causing either fatalities or serious injury, and this incident was no exception. While the Chevy's driver and passenger were killed, the driver of the cattle truck received injuries described as life-threatening. The driver of the Chevy was 52-years-old and his passenger was 70-years-old.

In accidents where one car veers over the center lane or unexpectedly crosses any lane, investigations may discover negligence. A sleepy driver, for instance, can nod off behind the wheel while their vehicle sways across the road. A distracted driver can be focusing on so many other things that proper steering takes a backseat to actions such as texting, talking or eating. Being fatigued or distracted are not crimes in general; however, when someone is operating a motor vehicle that person must behave reasonably and responsibly.

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 Posted on September 25, 2013 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

Sometimes after a car accident that involves several vehicles and multiple injured or deceased parties police will appeal to the public for help in their investigation. That's what happened after a recent tractor-trailer accident in Suffolk, Virginia, earlier this month.

In local media, police have appealed to the general public for assistance. Specifically, they are asking any witnesses to come forward regarding the multi-vehicle crash that closed traffic on Route 460 for much of the day on September 18. The accident apparently occurred in the morning hours, as the call came in to authorities shortly after 7:00 a.m.

The incident involved six cars and two tractor-trailers, although details are scant on the exact nature of the wreck. However, authorities do know that at least one person has died and six people suffered injuries. Of the six people injured, half of them were in critical condition after the accident.

In any sort of commercial vehicle accident, any and all details of the accident can prove crucial later on. This is because accident victims or their family members can obtain much-needed compensation for their losses if the losses were the fault of a negligent truck driver or negligent commercial truck company. In order to make that determination, though, it is essential that facts are gathered and witnesses are interviewed in a timely fashion.

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 Posted on September 18, 2013 in Car Accidents

Charges of reckless driving have resulted from an accident that occurred earlier this month in Culpeper County, Virginia. A 22-year-old woman had to be flown to the University of Virginia hospital after her car, a Toyota Celica, was struck by an SUV. The incident began when an SUV traveling south on U.S. 29 pulled in front of the Toyota. The cars collided and both vehicles overturned. The car crash has culminated in charges against the 39-year-old who was behind the wheel of the SUV.

It is not yet known if the injuries suffered by the Toyota driver will threaten her life. When a vehicle overturns it can be incredibly dangerous, as the driver or passengers may become trapped or crushed. Even if the occupants of a car are wearing seatbelts, as both drivers were in this case, the results of a flipped car can potentially be deadly.

Even if the injuries that stem from an accident like this are not catastrophic, the medical costs can be. When someone suffers any sort of injury from an auto crash there are usually immediate medical expenses. There may also be more long-term expenses relating to recovery or rehabilitation. In today's ever-changing healthcare environment, costs can be much higher than expected and can vary greatly from provider to provider.

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 Posted on September 12, 2013 in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Distracted driving can involve a variety of actions on the part of a driver. Whether it's putting on makeup, eating or blaring loud music, distracting oneself behind the wheel always has the potential for disaster. Talking on a cell phone while driving also can result in distracted driving and texting while driving is likely one of the biggest risks of all. After a recent deadly accident in northern Virginia, the police investigation now is focusing on the driver's behavior prior to the crash.

The accident happened earlier this month in Woodbridge, near Spriggs Road. A 17-year-old driver struck a 66-year-old bicyclist after her vehicle traveled up onto a curb and then the sidewalk. Tragically, the man riding his bike was not only hit, but also dragged until the car came to a halt. Authorities pronounced the bicyclist dead at the scene. The area of the road where the accident happened was closed while investigators examined the scene. Officials believe the driver of the car may have been texting when the collision occurred.

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 Posted on September 05, 2013 in Commercial Vehicle Accidents

An investigation into a late-August car accident in neighboring Maryland has resulted in identification of the victims of the deadly crash. All three who perished, including two children, hailed from Virginia. The commercial vehicle accident took place in Anne Arundel County on August 27, on Route 3 near Route 32. A commercial delivery truck struck a Toyota Camry during rush hour, ultimately involving several vehicles and claiming three lives.

According to police, the 36-year-old driver of the delivery truck had been driving at a speed of around 50 miles per hour, which was actually within the posted limit of that area. However, police think the truck driver failed to slow that speed as he approached a traffic backup. As commuters in the Northern Virginia area know, unexpected obstacles, such as construction or traffic jams, can cause cruising traffic to come to a grinding halt very quickly. If a driver fails to adjust their speed accordingly, negligence on their part may cause an accident.

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 Posted on August 29, 2013 in Truck Accidents

When Manassas, Virginia residents find themselves in the unfortunate situation of a car accident, they generally expect that local authorities will take charge of the scene. While this is very often the case, sometimes the victim of a car accident or truck accident may have to pursue other avenues for help after an incident, as a recent accident demonstrated.

A motorist was driving on I-295 through Mechanicsville recently when he received a terrifying surprise: a tree limb crashing through his front windshield. The driver just missed being impaled on the large branch, which collided with the front driver's side of his vehicle, and which he believed originated from a semi truck.

Fortunately, an eyewitness came forward after a local news team requested help from anyone who may have viewed the frightening scene. The witness dialed 911 as the accident happened. However, the witness expressed surprise that help from the state police did not arrive sooner. The witness gave the license plate number of the truck to authorities, and even flagged down the truck's driver to let him know debris was spewing off his truck. It wasn't until an appeal was made to the local media, though, that police showed efforts towards a thorough investigation.

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