The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles reports that over 800 people died in Virginia car crashes in 2018, the most recent year for which data is available. Over a quarter of these accidents were alcohol-related, with hundreds more speed-related. Another report tells us that in 2018, nearly 200 people were injured every day in Virginia from traffic crashes, with over 1,500 of those injuries sustained by pedestrians. An astonishing number of these accidents occur on U.S. Route 58, Interstate 64, and Interstate 264 in the Tidewater region.
Earlier this year, local news website Patch described a new report asserting that the most dangerous highway in Virginia is likely U.S. 58, with a staggering 45 fatalities over three summers, from 2015 to 2017.
On October 2, the Gazette-Virginian, based in Halifax County, reported that a driver was killed and a passenger was seriously injured on U.S. 58, after being ejected from a vehicle that crashed while swerving to avoid a Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) truck. Just two days later, the Bristol Herald Courier reported that another person was killed on the same highway when their vehicle ran off the road and struck a tree.
While those crashes occurred well west of the Tidewater area, they do demonstrate the safety hazards U.S. 58 contains as it makes its way across Virginia.
Last year, the Norfolk Legal Examiner reported that it was the I-264/I-64 interchange in Hampton Roads – one of the busiest roadways in the state, with nearly 400,000 cars passing through the intersection daily – that had the highest number of accidents in 2017. Just this past summer, the Virginia State Police responded to a crash there involving five vehicles in which at least four people were injured.
In June 2019, WTKR-TV reported that a three-vehicle crash on I-264 had resulted in one fatality. The accident involved a Chrysler that struck a disabled truck, which in turn rammed into another vehicle, whose driver was attempting to jump start the truck. A 57-year-old man was killed on impact, and the Chrysler also struck two pedestrians. Both suffered major injuries. One had a leg severed. The negligent driver was charged with driving under the influence (DUI), maiming, and vehicular manslaughter.
These roadways are known as “frequent accident zones,” with devastating car crashes occurring every day in Virginia. Drivers need to be extremely cautious when using them.
If you suffered serious injuries, or a loved one was killed, in a car accident on U.S. 58, I-64, I-264, or any roadway, you should seek legal representation as soon as possible.
Interstate 64 Car Accidents.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Virginia
The experienced attorneys at Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C., are prepared to help you establish the cause of your crash, as well as the party that can be held accountable.
Liability can be more complex in collisions on these major roads when multiple parties are involved, and it can be extremely difficult to determine the responsible party from whom compensation should be sought.
Our firm has helped people in car accident cases for more than three decades. We can provide a complete evaluation of your case when you call us or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.