Prince William County Major Roadway Accident Lawyer
Getting in a car accident on the Prince William County major roads is different from accidents that take place on standard streets. A major road would likely have heavier and often faster traffic than very small, rural side roads. When cars are traveling at a faster speeds, there is greater chance for injury when an accident does happen. Therefore, these accidents are different because they can result in more frequent and more severe injuries. If an individual has been injured in a major roadway accident, they should consult a Prince William County major roadway accident lawyer. A capable attorney could help the injured party recover compensation for their injuries.
Major Roadways That Accidents Often Occur On
As a Prince William County major roadway accident lawyer could explain, one of the most common major roadways in Prince William County is I-95. Highway 1 is another major interstate that goes through Prince William County. Highway 234 is a major thoroughfare as well. Many people take Highway 66 if they work in DC. There is also US Highway 15/501, which is another major highway that a lot of people use in Prince William County.
Car accidents are pretty common in Prince William County on Interstate 66 because it is usually the busiest during rush hour and has stop-and-go traffic. A lot of people are not paying attention because they are listening to the radio or on their phones. They are not maintaining 100% of their attention to the traffic, and it can easily create a rear-end collision.
Fact Patterns Surrounding Crashes on Major Roadways
One common fact pattern surrounding these accident scenarios in Prince William County is distractions on the interstate in rush hour traffic. For example, someone rear-ends another vehicle because they were texting while driving and they were not paying attention. On interstates like Highway 1, Interstate 66, and I-95, where there is stop-and-go traffic, a person has to be quite aware of their surroundings. If a driver is not paying attention, they may rear-end the person in front of them. The tremendous amount of force can cause a serious injury. A Prince William County major roadway accident lawyer could help the injured party hold the responsible party at fault.
The Role Heightened Speed Limits and Speeding Traffic Plays in Accidents
Heightened speed limits play a role because they usually create faster traffic. The higher the speed limit, the faster drivers are going to go in general. When drivers are driving faster, that means that there is less time to react to an emergency situation on the road. Collisions are going to have more force and are more likely to create serious injuries.
The speed of traffic impacts the steps a person should take immediately following these accidents because a person is going to want to get their car to the side of the road quickly to avoid further damage, especially in a very congested road. That eliminates or reduces the possibility of there being a second accident. If traffic is going at a steady rate, they do not want to be the only car that is stopped in the middle of the highway. Getting the car off the street is a smart thing to do to avoid another accident.
Is the Impact the Same as it is with Street Accidents?
Speeding contributes differently to major roadway accidents because they are more likely to happen on the highway. People are more likely to speed on the highway because of the very high-speed limit. Because of the very high speeds of the cars, there is much less time to react to various situations, such as someone changing lanes in front of a driver or applying the brakes really quickly. It just reduces a person’s response time.
These types of locations impact the response following an accident because if traffic is very congested, it is much harder to get an ambulance or a police officer to arrive promptly. There will be a longer response time for ambulances and police officers but other than that, there should not be that much of a difference between what someone should do following an accident. The procedure is still the same.
Steps Following a Collision in Prince William County
When someone is involved in an accident, the first thing they should do is assess how injured they are. Do they need an ambulance immediately? Are they hurt anywhere in their body? The second thing a Prince William County major roadway accident lawyer might advise someone do is try to see who hit the injured party and who is responsible. This means getting the information of the other driver. Calling the police and having an officer prepare an official traffic crash report is recommended.
If someone is too injured and they need to go to the hospital, then they should just go to the hospital and a police officer will write the traffic crash report afterward. However, it is important to get the information of who hit them. What is most important is making sure that the injured party gets the medical treatment they need at the moment. If they are incredibly injured, the most important thing is to get to a hospital. After seeking treatment, an individual should get in touch with a capable Prince William County major roadway accident attorney that could collect evidence and begin to build their claim.
