A rear-end collision on I-264 near the Virginia Beach Oceanfront sent five people to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. A sixth person suffered more minor injures in the crash on westbound I-264 near the First Colonial Road exits.
Police responded to the scene at around 2:30 am on September 3, 2021. Their preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of a Dodge Challenger was likely speeding before running into the back of a Ford Escape. The collision sent the smaller car off the road, over a Jersey barrier and into the trees along the interstate.
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All three people in the overturned car were critically injured, as were two passengers in the SUV. The driver of the larger vehicle received treatment for their injuries, but their life did not appear to be in danger.
Other than mentioning speeding as a possible contributing factor, police did not provide an immediate explanation for how the crash happened. Victims will need to wait for the official crash report to know which driver was determined to be at fault and, thereby, will have liability for paying compensation to cover medical bills, disability and pain and suffering.
A Common Accident With an Unusual Number of Victims
Rear-end collisions happen with alarming frequency. In fact, a brief article on the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) website is titled “Rear-End Crashes Are the Most Common Type of Collision.” More than half of the reported crashes in that state involve one vehicle slamming into the back of another vehicle.
Some of the wrecks happen because the trailing driver became distracted and took the mind and eyes off the road ahead. Sometimes, a lead driver stopped unexpectedly or slowed to turn without signaling their intention. A small number of crashes follow from unsafe lane changes and badly executed merges. The large majority, however, involve speeding.
Which leads ADOT authorities to note, “The best way to avoid causing a rear-end collision is to not speed and to leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you.” Exceeding the speed limit, failing to slow down when it rains or snows, and not braking early when approaching red lights or stop signs leaves too little time and distance to avoid a collision.
Whatever scenario played out I-264 in Virginia Beach during the early morning hours of September 3, the result was five people fighting for their lives and a sixth person hurt badly enough to require medical treatment at a hospital. The individuals who were harmed by the negligence of the driver determined to be at fault will have strong grounds for filing insurance claims.
The at-fault driver, however, is unlikely to carry enough liability coverage to fully compensate all the people they injured. This situation is why every car insurance policy issued in Virginia must have uninsured and underinsured motorist provisions. Coverage under these provisions becomes available when an at-fault does have their own insurance or does not have sufficient coverage to settle all claims.
Even though a person who files an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim will be dealing with their own insurance provider, it can help to hire an experienced personal injury lawyer. No insurance company welcomes an opportunity to pay a claim. Medical evidence, police reports and other forms of proof will be requested. An attorney can assist with collecting, organizing and presenting the requested information.
EJL