Car accidents in Northern Virginia, like everywhere else, can have horrible consequences that ruin lives. Our region has several traffic hotspots, especially in Fairfax County. Below is some information on those trouble areas and why car wrecks occur. If you suffered injuries in a collision, never wait to consult an experienced McClean car accident lawyer to seek maximum compensation for an accident that’s not your fault.
Fairfax County Trouble Spots
Last year, there were 122,434 accidents in Virginia, 59,404 injuries, and 1,005 tragic fatalities. Fairfax County had the highest number of crashes (11,571), injuries (4,973), and deaths (66) of any county in the state.
As you might expect, most dangerous traffic areas in Fairfax County are along interstate highways. Here are just a few examples of areas you want to avoid if possible:
- I-495 (near mile markers 1, 3, 9, 14, and 15)
- I-95 (near mile markers 161, 162, 163, and 173)
- I-66 (near mile markers 6, 54, 60, 63, 64, and 65)
Even though Fairfax County has the most wrecks in the state, Northern Virginia doesn’t have the highest crash rate. The Hampton Roads region had that dubious distinction in recent years, with a rate of 1.8 crashes per million VMT (vehicle miles of travel). Other areas on the list include:
- Roanoke Valley/Alleghany (1.7 accidents per VMT)
- Richmond (1.63 accidents per VMT)
- Northern Virginia (1.41 accidents per VMT)
Why Do These Accidents Happen?
There are many reasons car accidents occur in Northern Virginia. In most instances, a negligent driver causes a wreck. These are just some of the more common forms of negligence that can have devastating consequences:
Drowsy Driving
Working long hours can be a miserable, exhausting experience. It can also lead directly to a car wreck. When someone drives while fatigued, they can’t react as quickly to sudden road changes. If they’re tired enough, they might even fall asleep at the wheel and cause a tragedy.
Distracted Driving
Far too many people can’t keep from looking at their phones for even a few minutes. They’re so addicted they’ll keep looking at texts or social media feeds even while behind the wheel. Others insist on eating or drinking while driving or lose focus simply by daydreaming or changing radio stations. All of these examples of distracted driving can be deadly or lead to horrific injuries.
Impaired Driving
As bad as distracted and drowsy driving might be, impaired driving is even worse. It occurs when someone chooses to operate a vehicle even though they’ve had too much alcohol or taken a drug. Impaired drivers, like drowsy drivers, can’t react fast enough to cars entering their lane or other changes. The collisions that result can change lives forever.
Speeding
It seems like everyone is always in a hurry these days. Most of us are guilty of going over the speed limit by a few miles to shave some time off our trip. However, a lot of motorists take things to the extreme, driving so fast that they put themselves and others at risk.
Why You Need Legal Help from a Northern Virginia Car Accident Attorney
When people suffer injuries in Northern Virginia car accidents caused by negligent drivers, they deserve justice. If you’re in this unfortunate situation, the only way you’ll get the justice and compensation you deserve is by hiring a car accident lawyer.
These are just some of the ways an experienced lawyer can help.
Gathering Evidence
You might be 100 percent certain you weren’t to blame for the wreck. But all the certainty in the world won’t matter if you don’t have proof to back up your version of events. An attorney can gather that proof.
The first thing your lawyer will likely do is try to get evidence from the accident scene. If you act fast enough to hire an attorney, they can collect evidence while it’s fresh. They can, for instance, take pictures of the damaged vehicles. They can also photograph new skid marks near the impact point. These pictures can show the other driver was speeding, distracted, or negligent in some other way. They had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting your car as a result.
But that just scratches the surface of how your attorney will investigate the wreck. They’ll also look for surveillance footage from nearby cameras that might show how the accident occurred. Your attorney will also get the police report, which will show the responding officer’s educated opinion of why the wreck happened. In addition, your lawyer will interview witnesses to get their version of events.
Calculating Damages
You might accumulate substantial medical bills due to your injury and have to miss extensive time from work. Your car accident attorney will use your bills and pay stubs to help put a dollar value on your compensation. They’ll also use their experience to calculate your intangible losses, such as mental trauma, lost quality of life, pain and suffering, and others.
Fighting for What You Deserve
Once your lawyer collects evidence and determines how much compensation you deserve, they’ll present their demands to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If the insurer does the right thing, they’ll offer a fair settlement. If they don’t, your attorney will take them to court.
Insurers typically hate that latter option because it’s so expensive. They have to pay their lawyers a lot of money – if they lose, they’ll have to pay you and their legal team. They’d rather not take that chance.
Take Action as Soon as You Can – Schedule a Free Consultation With a Car Accident Lawyer
Victims of car accidents in Northern Virginia must act quickly to hire a lawyer. The investigation must begin immediately to gather critical evidence before it disappears. While you should do your due diligence when finding legal representation, please make it one of your top priorities.
Once you find an attorney, relax and focus on recovering as fast as possible. Your personal injury attorney will handle all the paperwork and other legal hassles, taking as much stress off your shoulders as they can.