A two vehicle crash in Giles County, Virginia (VA), sent two people to the hospital with serious injuries and left another man dead. The deadly wreck occurred on U.S. 460/Virginia Avenue near the interchange with VA 700/Mountain Lake Road, between the towns of Newport and Pembroke.
According to news reports, the fatal crash occurred on the morning of May 4, 2015, when an elderly driver behind the wheel of an SUV attempted to turn left in front of a car that was traveling straight. The driver and passenger in the smaller vehicle survived and were flown by helicopter to Roanoke for treatment. The other driver lost his life, getting pronounced dead at the scene of the collision.
State police investigating the crash did not offer an explanation for why the SUV’s driver appears to have failed to yield right of way to the oncoming car before starting to turn across traffic. A simple miscalculation of speed and distance may be to blame, or the driver who lost his life may have been suffering medical issues that diminished his ability to drive safely. The actions of the car’s driver must also be ascertained because exceeding the speed limit could have set the stage for the collision.
Whatever happened, the wreck was most likely avoidable. On a rural highway like U.S. 460, drivers must watch for turning vehicles. At the same time, individuals looking to enter or exit the highway must exercise extreme caution in making sure that enough time and space exist to allow a turn or merge.
EJL