Highways, freeways, and roadways are fraught with accidents caused by distracted drivers, driving under the influence, and reckless speedsters, which can lead to terrible injuries and the loss of innocent lives. One type of crash that can be especially devastating is a wrong-way crash.
Wrong-way driving is traveling in a direction opposite to the legal flow of traffic on a divided street or highway or on exit/entrance ramps to a highway. Statistically, wrong-way accidents are not as common as other types of crashes, but the damage and injuries they cause are often devastating. Because many of these crashes occur at high speeds, the injuries suffered are often catastrophic.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates that around 400 people die each year in wrong-way accidents in the United States. Many victims die, and those who do survive are often left with serious personal injuries.
If you or a loved one has been an innocent victim of a wrong-way vehicle accident, seek the assistance and legal representation of a Virginia Beach car accident lawyer. The loss of a loved one under these circumstances is tragic and often preventable. Legal compensation may be available to you.
The news media often report details of horrific wrong-way vehicle crashes. The offending drivers pose a huge safety risk on the roads, and the fallout from the crashes can be catastrophic. Head-on collisions are the typical outcome, usually ending with fatalities and serious injuries.
Recent studies have found that out of 100 wrong-way crashes, more than 60 percent result in injury or fatality compared to 45 percent out of 100 for all other types of crashes. This is a strong indicator that wrong-way crashes tend to be more severe and have a greater chance of death or serious injury than most other crash types. One Virginia study found that wrong-way collisions are almost 30 times more likely to result in the deaths of victims than other types of vehicle accidents.
Several factors may contribute to a wrong-way vehicle accident. Although occurring in different proportions, they may involve drivers of a certain age group. Drivers between 16 and 34 are typically the highest offenders, as are male drivers. Data also reveals that drivers who are over the age of 70 account for about 15 percent of all wrong-way accidents.
Researchers have looked at other factors, such as language comprehension and confusing or obscure signage, but the overwhelming cause is driver impairment. Whether it be drug or alcohol-related, drivers who are impaired put their fellow motorists at risk. Approximately 70 percent of wrong-way crashes are attributed to driver impairment.
There also appears to be a pattern regarding the timing of wrong-way crashes. They are five times more likely to occur in the early morning hours, which coincides with the closing of bars and clubs in many areas.
One of the leading causes of wrong-way crashes is a motorist entering a highway the wrong way on an exit ramp. Motorists inadvertently taking one-way streets, left-side exit ramps, and U-turns are all factors that contribute to serious accidents as well.
Car crash victims often suffer from injuries that require a long-term recovery process. This may involve costly medical expenses, as well as lost wages from work and pain and suffering. It is not uncommon for victims to suffer life-long damage from these injuries.
Insurance companies will often try to pressure car crash victims to settle their claims quickly and for much less than what the victim deserves. That is why it is critical to contact a skilled Virginia car accident attorney immediately following a collision for advice and direction. Contact Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp today to schedule a free and confidential consultation and ensure you get the financial compensation you are entitled to, like the $235,000 car accident insurance settlement we obtained for one client who suffered multiple injuries when another driver failed to yield the right of way.
For your convenience, we have offices in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
Highways, freeways, and roadways are fraught with accidents caused by distracted drivers, driving under the influence, and reckless speedsters, which can lead to terrible injuries and the loss of innocent lives. One type of crash that can be especially devastating is a wrong-way crash. Wrong-way driving is traveling in a direction opposite to the legal…
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