Mother, Daughter Killed in Suffolk, VA Head-On Collision | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A head-on collision between a minivan and a PT Cruiser in Suffolk, Virginia (VA), claimed the lives of a mother and daughter on the morning of February 10, 2015. The victims, who had lived in Colerain, North Carolina (NC), were driving on Whaleyville Boulevard north of the state border when the fatal accident occurred.

 

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According to WAVY-TV 10, police determined that the man behind the wheel of the minivan, who also sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment, caused the deadly crash. Investigators also noted that charges are likely to be filed, but they did not release details on why the at-fault driver crossed the center lane or was traveling the wrong way in the opposite lane. Possible explanations include distraction, falling asleep at the wheel and impairment by drugs or alcohol.

Head-on collisions often inflict severe injuries. Too often, such accidents prove deadly, especially when one of the vehicles involved is significantly larger and heavier than the other. Whatever led to the loss of life in Suffolk, the chain of events most likely did not have to end with two deaths. Avoiding tragic consequences requires preventing head-ons by remaining alert, staying in one’s lane. Doing those things can be as simple as not answering a phone call while driving or pulling over when one’s eyes start closing and one’s head begins nodding.

Perhaps because a driver failed to take such actions, my Virginia Beach-based wrongful death attorney colleagues and I once more find ourselves sending our condolences to the friends and family members of victims of an accident.

EJL