Norfolk-Portsmouth Personal Injury Lawyer - Automobile Accidents

Strict enforcement from VSP on I-64 in Norfolk this weekend

Randy Appleton — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:22:11 GMT

Drivers on Interstate 64 beware: The Virginia State Police is out in force this weekend.

Troopers are being paid overtime in a federally-funded effort to keep Virginia’s highways safe, the VSP’s superintendent said in a press release.

The operation is called Operation Air, Land and Speed and is designed to discourage speeding and other reckless behavior, The Virginian-Pilot reported.

Speeding is the cause of many traffic accidents in Hampton Roads and elsewhere. My colleague Emily Mapp Brannon wrote in October about a fatal motorcycle accident in Chesapeake where speed was a factor.

“Speed and reckless and distracted driving endanger too many lives on the Commonwealth’s roads,” W. Steven Flaherty, the Virginia State Police superintendent, said in a press release. “Every motorist must remember to buckle up and drive defensively not aggressively while they are behind the wheel, especially during the holiday season.”

Troopers will be on I-64 – as well as Interstate 66 in northern Virginia – starting today and going through Sunday. They are using both marked and unmarked vehicles, as well as motorcycles and aircraft.

The Virginia State Police said that in December 2008, when the agency last conducted Operation Air, Land and Speed on I-64, it ticketed 251 drivers for reckless driving, 1,783 for speeding and 227 for not wearing a seat belt. The VSP also made 24 arrests for drunken driving, drug possession and other crimes.

“Unfortunately, the only way to get some drivers to adopt safer driving habits and behaviors is through stepped up enforcement projects,” Flaherty said.

(MM)

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Randy Appleton

Man sentenced in Williamsburg DUI crash

Emily Mapp Brannon — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 19:52:00 GMT

Mark Schneider will spend a year in jail after drunkenly hitting pedestrian Irene Carson last Christmas Eve, a Williamsburg-James City County circuit court judge ruled this week.

Schneider, 39, struck Carson, 72, as Carson crossed Francis Street East in Williamsburg, the Daily Press reported. Francis Street runs along the southern edge of what is generally considered historic Williamsburg.

"You are an example to the community of what can happen when you drink to excess and drive," Judge Samuel Powell of Williamsburg-James City County said to Schneider during the sentencing hearing.

Carson, of Chadds Ford, Pa., was apparently not at the hearing. But the Daily Press said she suffered multiple skull fractures in the crash and will likely never recover fully.

Schneider works as a historic interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg; a manager there testified at the sentencing hearing that Schneider can keep his job.

Schneider can serve his sentence at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail on weekends; he is to report for his first day on Dec. 24, a year after the crash.

Schneider had a blood-alcohol content of .19, meaning almost two-tenths of one percent of his blood was alcohol. In Virginia, .08 is the legal minimum for intoxication, though drivers can be arrested with lesser levels if they are driving in a manner a police officers thinks indicates intoxication.

Schneider pleaded guilt to a charge of felony assault, the Daily Press said. A charge of maiming while driving was not ruled upon by the judge, who can dismiss it later if he chooses.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices ) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers.

(MM)

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Emily Mapp Brannon

Seat Belt Enforcement a Priority for Virginia (VA) State Police This Thanksgiving

Jim Lewis — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:05:00 GMT

Seventy-five Virginia (VA) State Police officers will be patrolling the commonwealth's highways this Thanksgiving. Near the top of the list they will have for stopping motorists traveling to and from holiday meals, Black Friday sales and is failing to wear seat belts.

Statistics released to Virginia newspapers on Nov. 24 indicate that 12 motorists died in accidents on Virginia roads during Thanksgiving 2008. Nine of those people were not wearing seat belts.

Virginia's seat belt laws cover drivers and all front-seat passengers. Also, children younger than seven years of age must be properly restrained in age- and size-appropriate child safety seats in the back seat of a moving car, truck or van.

Locally, the Daily Press is reporting the Newport News police will be out in force between Wednesday and Monday and also that AAA is projecting that 970,000 cars will hit the road throughout Virginia this long weekend.

Drive safe, buckle up and have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

About the Editors: The Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm, whose attorneys work out of offices in Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC), edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as pro bono services.

EJL

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jim Lewis

A Trillion Text Messages in the Next Two Years?

Rick Shapiro — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:30:15 GMT

There were 800 billion text messages sent in 2008, according to the Strategic Mirror Report. This increased by four times compared to 2006. If we continue on this trajectory, we’ll hit one trillion text messages by 2010.

Texting in-and-of itself is fine; a great advancement in mobile phone technology. However, I’m extremely concerned a large quantity of these soon-to-be-trillion texts will be made behind the wheel of a car. Take a survey the next time you pull to a red light at a major intersection-chances are more than half of the drivers are talking on their cell with it held to their ear, or they are looking down at the PDA or blackberry.

Driving and texting is extremely dangerous. In fact, it’s 23 times more dangerous, according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. There are even studies showing it’s just as risky as drinking and driving.

Even more terrifying is the fact that young drivers are the most prone to text and drive. As the father of two teenagers, this is what worries me. Even if my kids are responsible and restrain themselves from texting and driving, there could be an irresponsible driver on the road looking down at their 3G IPhone texting away and not realizing they are putting people’s lives at risk.

Virginia passed a law restricting texting while driving. Specifically, a driver is fined $20 if a police officer discovers them texting and driving, but the officer needs to pull the driver over for another infraction (i.e. speeding, running a red light, failing to use a turn signal, etc.).

I hope these laws become stricter in the near future. Texting is becoming standard practice in our society, and will be second nature to the next generation. We need to instill in our teens and young adults that texting while driving is simply unacceptable. Our law firm has written a complete Free Report on the epidemic of "distracted driving" which includes some surprising statistics and facts about the distraction epidemic.

Check out our FREE special report on distracted driving, which includes texting while driving.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Shapiro

Deer: A Major Danger and Expense on Virginia Roadways

Jim Lewis — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:58:03 GMT

Close to 50,000 Virginians will file insurance claims for deer-related accidents at an estimated cost of nearly $15 million, according to the Fairfax Times. Virginia (VA) is currently ranked fifth out of all 50 states for deer-vehicle accidents and the frequency in which these accidents occur has increased 18 percent in the past five years, according to Reuters. It’s clear this is a major safety issue and an added risk while you’re behind the wheel.

It’s terrible if you wind up hitting a deer with your car. We’ve all seen the after-effects on the side of the road and the damage to your car can be extensive. Nevertheless, what’s even worse is to swerve in order to miss the deer and wind up slamming into another vehicle or veering off the road and hitting a tree or light pole. This can lead to a serious injury such as a broken back, lacerations to the face, a traumatic brain injury, or even death.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating pressing on the accelerator when a deer appears on the road, but the safety of you, potential passengers, and the other drivers on the road takes precedent over a deer.

You also need to be aware that only a comprehensive insurance policy covers deer-related accidents. This is important since 36 million Americans don’t have comprehensive insurance plans, according to USA Today. So not only is a deer accident dangerous, it can be costly if you’re not adequately insured.

The best piece of advice I can give you is be vigilant. The challenge with these deer-related accidents is that the animals leap out of nowhere onto the roadway providing very little reaction time for a driver. This is why you must always maintain eye contact on the road and be ready for anything that comes your way.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jim Lewis

Driver Fatigue Contributes to Serious Car Accidents

Jim Lewis — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:56:58 GMT

Millions of people were reportedly involved in car accidents, or came very close to getting into a serious car accident, due to driver fatigue, according to a study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation. Over 100 million people admitted they’ve driven while feeling drowsy.

As someone who regularly represents car accident victims, I cannot overemphasize the importance of being alert while behind the wheel of a car.

"People who drive when they are tired put their lives at risk, as well as the lives of others on the road," said Raquel Rothe, who owns Sleep EZ Diagnostic Center based in Salem, Virginia (VA).

Here are some warning signs that indicate you may be suffering from driver fatigue…

- Unable to focus

- Feeling restless and irritable

- Heavy eyelids

- Trouble keeping your head up

- Swerving while on the road

If you notice these symptoms, pull over and take a quick nap. Or, stop at a Sheetz or 7-11 and grab a cup of coffee (maybe a Red Bull for the hardcore caffeine addicts). To try and preempt these fatigue symptoms, get at least eight hours of sleep prior to a long drive

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jim Lewis

Budget Cuts Ground Virginia Aerial Traffic Monitoring, Will Traffic Accidents Increase?

Jim Lewis — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:18:05 GMT

You’ve probably seen the signs – “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft” - when traveling down Interstate 64 (I-64), Interstate 264 (I264) and other heavily traveled highways. However, due to the downtrodden economy, Virginia State Police decided to end aerial monitoring of traffic throughout the Commonwealth, according to The Virginian-Pilot. The program has been in place for nine years and traffic accidents have decreased during that time.

Did aerial monitoring play a part in this decrease of car accident fatalities? Maybe. There’s really no way to be sure, but the program probably didn’t hurt. When people are speeding and see a sign saying there’s a plane in the sky monitoring speed limits, it could cause the driver to slow down.

The major drawback of the program is, obviously, cost. It’s expensive to obtain a plane, pay for manpower capable of flying the aircraft and properly monitor traffic conditions, pay for fuel, etc.

A drawback not regularly mentioned is the potential safety risk. One citizen posted on the Pilot’s comment board…

“I've watched them flying at no more than 800 ft altitude at minimum airspeed with half flaps, over residential areas. If I had done that, I'd have lost my license. Flying low and slow, on the verge of stalling, over urban areas for hours at a time was an accident waiting to happen.”

Another citizen stated…

“When you look across the country, state after state has tried using aircraft to patrol for speeders, and time and again they've dropped the program because it wasn't as cost effective as having a few more patrol cars out there. With the cost for gas continuing to go up, the situation only gets worse. It should be no surprise that this is happening.”

There’s talk the program could be resuscitated when the economy rebounds, but there's a chance it could lead to an increase in car accidents in Virginia (VA) since the threat of aerial monitoring is longer around.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and our attorneys have handled thousands of car and truck accident cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. In addition, check out our FREE special reports on distracted driving and The Best Guide to Car Accident injuries in Virginia. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA) although our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jim Lewis

Halloween Horror: Trick or Treating Leads to Higher Incidences of Pedestrian Traffic Accidents

John Cooper — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:25:15 GMT

Halloween is all about ghouls and goblins, dressing up, eating some delicious candy, and maybe even enjoying a scary movie. But there’s a truly terrifying aspect Halloween few people seem to know: the number of fatal pedestrian accidents increases 4.5 times during the holiday.

A study showed children age 15 and under were the primary victims of these accidents and many of them occur during the evening trick-or-treat time, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Our injury law firm has written extensively about the importance of knowing pedestrian cross walk laws and being cognizant while strolling through neighborhoods and crossing roads. These principles still apply on Halloween. Don’t think that just because it’s a holiday, drivers are less prone to hit you when you’re on the street.

Some other important safety tips include wearing a bright Halloween costume (so opt for the yellow Power Ranger outfit as opposed to the black Power Ranger outfit) and trick or treating in a well-lit neighborhood. Go out in groups as opposed to individually; it’s much easier to see a pack of trick or treaters than just one. Another option would be to go to a community center which holds indoor Halloween events. This will greatly reduce your risk to a severe, or even fatal, pedestrian traffic accident.

If you apply these safety tips, it will help prevent Halloween turning into a real horror.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Cooper

Fatal Accident on I-664 in Chesapeake, Virginia

Jim Lewis — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:17:00 GMT

Webster Keck of Suffolk, Virginia (VA) was driving his Dodge pickup truck along Interstate 664 (I-664) near the intersection of Interstate 64 (I-64) in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA) when Seth Arnold Bailey didn’t maintain control of his Jetta and crashed into the truck. Mr. Keck died at the scene.

My deepest condolences go out to Mr. Keck’s friends and family.

Mr. Bailey, who is from Portsmouth, Virginia (VA), was charged with reckless driving, according to the Virginian-Pilot.

I-664 has seen its fair share of serious car accidents. For example, a couple weeks ago two men were involved in a car crash and their Dodge Viper burst into flames. Fortunately, they survived but suffered serious injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jim Lewis

Chesapeake (VA) may lower speed limit after bicyclist's death

Emily Mapp Brannon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:35:54 GMT

In the wake of the tragic death of bicyclist Charles F. McCarty Jr. in August, city officials in Chesapeake (VA) want to lower the speed limit on Johnstown Road, where McCarty was killed.

Eric Martin, director of Chesapeake's Department of Public Works, told The Virginian-Pilot that he would like to lower the speed limit from 45 to 40 miles an hour on Johnstown Road, as well as improve the street lights on the same stretch of road.

The fatal crash was one of many in Hampton Roads this year involving bicyclists. My colleague Rick Shapiro wrote about this case earlier this year.

McCarty, of the 1300 block of Fairhaven Road, died while riding his bicycle in the 900 block of Johnstown Road after he was struck by a woman subsequently charged with drunken driving. The woman, Sarah Magnolia Perry, left the scene of the accident but returned shortly afterwards.

Chesapeake’s city manager will decide whether to make the proposed improvements, WAVY-TV reported.

"I hope it goes through and they do take down the speed limit,” McCarty’s son, Chris Hendershott, told WAVY. “I think it'd be really cool to put just bike paths more in Chesapeake period."

A hearing in Perry's case is scheduled for Dec. 7 in Chesapeake General District Court, according to the Virginia Courts Case Information Web site. Perry, 21, lives in the 3000 block of Benefit Road in Chesapeake.

McCarty was a talented and well-known local musician, a member of the band Tidewater Drive and co-worship pastor – with his wife – at Hickory Ridge Community Church, the Pilot reported in September.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton is a law firm which focuses on injury and accident law and we have experience handling wrongful death cases. Check out our case results to see for yourself. Our primary office in based in Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA). Our attorneys have handled numerous wrongful death cases and we understand the difficult circumstances which accompany these types of cases. Our lawyers hold licenses in NC, SC, WV, KY and DC. We are ready to talk to you by phone right now—we provide free initial confidential injury case consultations, so call us toll free at 1-800-752-0042. Our injury attorneys also host an extensive injury law video library on Youtube . Furthermore, our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service.

(MM)

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Emily Mapp Brannon