Springfield Virginia Motor Vehicle Accidents Blog

When it's time to "spring forward" the clocks in March of each year, many people complain of the inconvenience of "losing" an hour of sleep. Unfortunately, the loss of sleep can be more than just a frustration; studies show that it can increase the risk of motor vehicle accidents for drivers in Virginia. That's why AAA is reminding drivers that not getting enough sleep can double their chances of causing a crash.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted a study that found that drivers require at least seven hours of rest each day to be alert. Getting an hour or two less than the recommended amount increases the risk of an accident by double. Additionally, the data shows that drivers who get five hours of sleep or less have a crash risk that is similar to that of a drunk driver.

Have you ever sat in your car at a red light and worried that car coming up quickly behind you is going to stop as well? Do you regularly feel concern about other drivers not paying attention as they exit the freeway behind you? If you have been driving for any significant amount of time, you know these types of concerns are not unfounded. Rear-end collisions are one of the most common types of car accidents. Even at low speeds, rear-end crashes can result in serious injuries for the victim.

In many cases, rear-end collisions occur because the driver at the rear is distracted. This does not necessarily mean that he or she was texting and driving even though, of course, smartphone usage is one of the most high-profile causes of distracted driving. Here are three types of distracted driving that can lead to a car wreck.

The average motorist in Virginia can usually be fairly confident about getting behind the wheel as long as they are alert and focused. However, there may be a good reason for drivers to be apprehensive. According to the National Safety Council, driving deaths climbed by 6 percent from 2015 to 2016, the latest year stats of this nature are available for. A similar increase was seen during the previous year, meaning fatal accident rates spiked nearly 15 percent within two years.

Some officials cite lax enforcement of existing drunk driving, seat belt, and speeding laws as a reason for this sharp increase in deaths related to motor vehicle accidents. Many states don't not consider not wearing a seat belt to be a valid reason to pull someone over. Yet half of all fatal collision victims aren't wearing a seat belt. Also, roughly a third of all deadly crashes involve a driver who was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Despite an increase in traffic safety programs, a new report released from Road Safe America shows that big rig trucking accidents increased in almost every state. The report looked at data for trucking accidents from 2009 to 2017. Though the number of miles driven by commercial trucks decreased over the years, the number of accidents increased. However, the safety group is pushing for increased safety regulations throughout Virginia and the rest of the U.S.

In total, more than 35,000 people died in heavy commercial truck accidents in the analyzed years. Texas, Florida, California, Georgia and Pennsylvania had the greatest number of big rig accidents in 2017. Representatives for Road Safe America said that these states have higher speed limits for trucks. Large commercial vehicles can weigh 80,000 pounds or more. It takes much more time for these larger vehicles to stop and slow down. Some experts estimate that equipping large trucks with speed limiters that would prevent them from traveling over 65 mph could save lives and reduce fuel usage by $1 billion each year.