A crash between a car and an SUV in Dinwiddie County, Virginia (VA), on February 10, 2017, left one driver dead and three other people hospitalized with serious injuries. The deadly wreck happened at the intersection of U.S. Route 460 and Courthouse Road/Virginia Route 627.
A Virginia State Police press release described the fatal collision this way: “A 2010 Dodge Caliber was traveling north on Route 627 when it pulled into the path of 2004 Nissan Armanda traveling west on Route 460, causing the Nissan to overturn and ejecting the driver of the 2010 Dodge.”
The interchange between the federal and state highways is controlled by blinking traffic lights. Drivers on 460, which is also known locally as New Cox Road, have a yellow signal that alerts them to watch for turning and crossing vehicles. The yellow signal does not require drivers to reduce their speed, but only to exercise slightly more caution.
Blinking red lights on Courthouse Road compel drivers to stop and wait until traffic on 460 clears before moving forward. Initial reports from law enforcement personnel investigating this Dinwiddie County crash do not state whether the woman who left the stop signal was attempting to turn, merge or cross, but a failure to yield of right of way appears to be the cause of the crash.
My personal injury law firm colleagues and I have helped many victims of car crashes caused by another driver’s failure to yield. Explanations for such wrecks range from getting distracted and being temporarily blinded by sun glare to being unable to correctly gauge the speed and distance of approaching vehicles. Reasons like these do not relieve drivers of their duty to carefully negotiate an intersection.
Working with an experienced and dedicated personal injury attorney will help those injured collect, organize and present all the evidence needed to establish their claims.
EJL