Distracted driving has gone from a niche issue to a major concern for all drivers on the road. People have chosen to drive distracted for as long as motor vehicles have existed, but mobile technology makes distraction easier and more tempting than ever before. Our...
Motor Vehicle Accidents
More mobile workers are getting in distracted driving crashes
According to a new report, mobile workers in Virginia could be getting in more distracted driving-related car accidents. Not surprisingly, smartphone use while driving is behind the trend. Researchers from Motus, a Boston-based vehicle management and reimbursement...
Driving safely in the rainy months
Motorists in Virginia should take extra care to be safe on the roads during the rainy season, which begins at the end of June and ends in September. Rain, thunderstorms and hail can create hazardous conditions on the road, some of which can result in hydroplaning....
Realistic drivers’ ed supplement improves teens’ risk awareness
Researchers at Baylor University have analyzed the effect of a reality-based supplemental drivers' education program on teen participants, and the results may be of interest to parents of teen drivers in Virginia. The program is called the Texas Reality Education for...
The role of safety tech in reducing backup crashes
For Virginia residents who own new vehicles but not their safety add-ons, the following study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety may be of interest. The IIHS tested the effectiveness of rear automatic brakes in reducing backup crashes and found that they...
Virginia teens know texting and driving is hazardous
Although 47 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws prohibiting texting while driving, distracted drivers remain a significant hazard on the nation's roadways. A recent study conducted by the Journal of Adolescent Health surveyed over 100,000 teenagers...
Accident prevention: How to keep yourself safe as a pedestrian
Pedestrian accidents affect thousands of lives every year. Even if you or someone you love isn't involved in a collision, it's likely that you know someone who was hurt (or who came close to being hurt) by a motorist on a street or road. On average, a crash-related...
Roundabouts can cut the risk of crash injuries
Every year, people are injured or even killed in motor vehicle accidents that take place at dangerous intersections in Virginia. Some intersections are well-known for the risks they pose to drivers; for example, the junction of two 55-mph roads that come together at a...
Pedestrian fatalities increasingly involve SUVs
Pedestrians in Virginia may be in greater danger from SUVs than from other types of vehicles, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Overall, pedestrian fatalities are on the rise. In 2016, they were at their highest number since 1990....
Teens with new driver’s licenses can be dangerous
Teen drivers in Virginia may be more likely to cause car accidents in the first few months after they get their driver's licenses, according to one recent study. Conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Virginia Tech, the study placed dashcams inside...