A man fixing a disabled vehicle lost his life on the shoulder of Route 360/Patrick Henry Highway in Amelia County, Virginia (VA), on the night of September 12, 2015. The fatal rear-end collision occurred near the intersection with Route 698/Circle Drive.
According to news reports, the deceased victim was changing a flat tire. The car was pulled out of traffic, and a van was parked behind it, providing lights and coverage for the man and another person to complete the repair. For unknown reasons, a car rear-ended the van and pushed the larger vehicle into the disabled car and one of the people changing the tire. Unspecified charges are pending against the driver of the car who initiated the rear-end collision.
Many reasons can cause a person to hit, injure and kill individuals working along the side of a highway. In fact, serious crashes involving road crew members, law enforcement officers, emergency responders and motorists whose cars have broken down occur so often that failing to slow down and, when possible, change lanes when approaching a crash scene or traffic stop can bring charges for violating Virginia’s move over law.
Spotting and reacting appropriately to people on the shoulder of the highway is always important. Drivers must exercise extra caution at night and along rural stretches of road like the one whether this deadly crash happened southwest of Richmond. Even a brief period of distraction or a slight misjudgment of the space needed to pass safely can result in irreversible tragedy.
EJL