A pedestrian hit while attempting to cross Cascades Parkway in Loudoun County, Virginia (VA), died at a hospital from the injuries he suffered in the collision. After a brief investigation into the August 15, 2014, crash near the intersection with Middlefield Drive, police charged the man who had been driving the Ford Explorer that struck the walker with driving under the influence of alcohol.
The fatal accident occurred around 10 pm in a residential area, and the crash did not happen at a marked intersection or crosswalk. Regardless of potential problems caused by low visibility due to darkness and the unexpectedness of a person stepping out into the road at an unsafe place, the SUV driver put everyone’s lives and health at risk by taking the wheel after drinking too much.
As a Virginia-based personal injury and wrongful death attorney, I have represented dozens of DUI/DWI accident victims. Every case has represented a supremely preventable tragedy, and no amount of compensation has ever been enough to make up for what survivors have lost. I’ve written many times that drivers literally hold pedestrians’ safety in their hands when they grip the steering wheel. Regardless of location and circumstance, drivers must watch for people in the road and do everything they can to avoid collisions. I can only hope more people take those lessons to heart.
My deepest condolences go out to the friends and family members of the man who lost his life in Northern Virginia.
EJL