A head-on collision in the southern part of Chesapeake, Virginia (VA), sent three people to the hospital with serious injuries. The two-vehicle crash happened just before 2 pm on June 27, 2021.
According to police, an SUV driver crossed a double yellow line in the 3700 block of Battlefield Boulevard and slammed into an oncoming truck that was towing a camper. The SUV’s driver appears to have sustained the worst injuries, needing to be flown from the scene by helicopter to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
LEARN MORE
- A Virginia Personal Injury Attorney Discusses the Connection Between Speeding and Crashing
- Distracted Driving: A Moment’s Inattention Can Cause a Lifetime of Pain
- What Multiple Victims of the Same Car Crash Should Know About Underinsured Motorist Coverage in Virginia
A passenger in the SUV and the driver of the truck were also transported to local hospitals for medical treatment. News reports did not include details about the nature of the injuries or mention whether charges would be filed.
The Importance of Maintaining One’s Lane
This head-on collision happened on a narrow two-lane state highway. Northbound and southbound vehicles are separated only by double yellow lines, and ditches border the pavement on sides. Drivers traveling the posted speed limit of 55 mph have very small margins for error if they wish to abide by section 46.2-804 of the Virginia Code. That law states, in part, “Wherever a highway is marked with double traffic lines consisting of two immediately adjacent solid lines, no vehicle shall be driven to the left of such lines, except when turning left.”
Police may take several days or longer to discover why the driver of the SUV crossed into the path of the approaching truck and set the stage for the head-on collision. An analysis of such crashes across the United States that was conducted by the Federal Highway Administration revealed
Many factors contribute to drivers leaving the roadway or straying from their lane. These include driver fatigue and drowsiness; distracted driving; poor traction between vehicles and road surfaces and poor visibility in adverse weather conditions. Driver fatigue can occur when long, monotonous stretches of highway reduce the driver’s concentration. These factors are sometimes compounded by driving too fast.
As the investigation continues, my Virginia Beach-based personal injury law firm colleagues and I send our sincere wishes for quick and full recoveries to all the people involved in this Chesapeake crash. Insurance claims will not doubt be filed, but the first concern must be everyone’s health.
EJL