In the past 26 years of my career as a Roanoke Wrongful Death Accident Lawyer, I have represented many victims’ families in wrongful death accident cases.
Head-On Collisions in Virginia
Recently, I have read of several head-on collisions in our area. All of them are tragic and resulted in serious, life threatening injuries or death. In January, Sgt. Perry Hodge was killed when a truck driven by Michael Dominic Morris crossed the center line and struck Hodge’s vehicle head on. Sgt. Hodge, pillar of the community, died at the scene. The at-fault driver was charged with felony aggravated manslaughter and felony reckless driving and is still being held in jail. In Mid-May, two vehicles collided on Moneta Road in Bedford County. A 1999 Chevy Tahoe crossed the center line and struck a 2005 Volvo XC70 head-on. As a result, the driver of the Volvo, 65 year old Janet Seal, died from her injuries a few weeks after the accident. Two other passengers in the Volvo and the driver of the Tahoe were also hospitalized with serious injuries. According to Virginia State Police, all of the victims of this head-on vehicle collision were wearing seat belts. Recently, two men were in killed in a Botetourt County crash. Jeffrey Shane Bradford was driving a 2000 Ford F-250 on Route 11 and crossed the center line striking Tracy Scott Firestone who was driving a 1998 Chevrolet 1500 pick-up. Neither man was wearing a seat belt. Yesterday, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel was shut down when an SUV headed south hit the wall and veered into northbound traffic. Thankfully, no fatalities were reported but several victims were taken to the hospital. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is currently undergoing an extensive expansion project costing $756 million dollars. The goal of the project is to do away with the current opposing traffic pattern in the tunnel and reduce the risk of head-on collisions.
Best Strategies for Surviving a Head-On Collision
I mentioned that during the course of my career as an auto accident attorney I have seen numerous tragedies. Many of these come from head-on collisions. While many collisions are fatal, there are a few things you can do to prevent becoming a wrongful death victim.
- Firstly, buy a bigger vehicle. Many consumers buy large SUV’s for comfort and for practicality. Studies have shown that the larger vehicles involved in head-on collisions offer more protection for the vehicle occupants in front-end crashes.
- Secondly, wear your seatbelts. All vehicles sold in the US since 1998 are equipped with airbags. Airbags are designed to work with seatbelts. The seatbelt will keep your body firmly in your seat, while the airbags deploy. The airbag provides a cushion for your body to absorb the impact of the accident. Without your seatbelt, your body is likely to be ejected from the vehicle or strike the dashboard.
- Thirdly, use safe driving techniques. I represent the victims of these accidents and I can tell you that in every single case the question of “What if?” is present. “What if the at-fault driver hadn’t looked at his phone when rounding the curve?” “What if the at-fault driver had not been drunk?” In conclusion, safe driving behaviors can keep all of us safer.
How a Roanoke Wrongful Death Lawyer Can Help Victims’ Families of Head-On Collisions
I am an experienced Roanoke personal injury lawyer and I will be able to help you and your family navigate through this difficult time. If you are feeling overwhelmed by incoming medicals bills. I can help. If you have questions about what the insurance company is telling you. I can help. If you don’t know if the offer being made by the defendant’s insurance company is fair and will cover your medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. I can help. If you are confused by all of the letters and policies and phone calls. I can help. If you feel so lost in your grief after a wrongful death accident. I can help. All you have to do is call 1-540-777-4900.
