What Are the Most Common Causes of Virginia Car Accidents?

Every Virginian knows a fundamental fact: car crashes happen every day. Virginia car crashes happen for many reasons, from motorist negligence to vehicle mechanical failure, bad road conditions to unsafe highway design. That said, statistics show that car accidents in Virginia are more commonly attributed to some causes than others.

Car Accident Statistics in Virginia

According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, the state saw a total of 105,600 crashes in 2020. Of these collisions, 791 crashes resulted in fatalities, while 34,056 resulted in people suffering injuries, and 70,753 crashes resulted in property damage.

In fact, a traffic crash occurred approximately every five minutes in 2020. Virginia crashes claimed an average of 2.3 lives a day, while 144 people suffered injuries. One out of nearly 32 licensed drivers in the state was involved in a crash in 2020. Some of those involved were innocent victims of someone else’s negligence.

Most Common Causes of Car Accidents

Some of the most frequent causes of car accidents in Virginia include:

Speeding
Driving too fast for conditions
Distracted driving, including texting, adjusting the radio or climate control, using a navigation device, eating, drinking, or applying makeup
Driving under the influence of drugs or drink
Drowsy or fatigued driving
Tailgating and following too closely
Reckless driving, such as excessive speeding or swerving through traffic
Running red lights or stop signs
Failing to check mirrors or signal before turning or changing lanes
Failing to look behind when backing up

Other non-driver-related causes of Virginia car accidents include:

Mechanical failure, either due to inadequate or improper maintenance or defective parts
Poor road conditions, such as potholes or broken pavement
Adverse weather, including heavy rain, fog, snow, and ice
Nighttime or low lighting
Unsafe road or intersection design, such as an intersection that fails to give drivers a clear view of oncoming traffic

Injuries Caused by Car Accidents

A car accident can result in injuries as minor as a few scrapes and bruises or as serious as physical trauma that causes permanent disability. Injuries commonly caused by car accidents in Virginia include:

Cuts and abrasions
Bone fractures
Dislocated joints
Soft tissue injuries
Herniated discs
Neck and back injuries
Whiplash injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Nerve damage and paralysis
Crush injuries
Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
Perforation injuries
Burns
Head injuries
Traumatic brain injuries
Amputation

Compensation for Car Accidents Caused by Negligence

If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you might be entitled to compensation for the expenses that you sustained due to the accident, including:

Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation
Long-term care for permanent disability
Lost wages and income
Loss of future earning ability, expected income, and benefits
Repair or replacement of your damaged car or other personal property
Physical pain and emotional trauma
Loss of enjoyment or quality of life

How Breit Law Could Help

Have you been hurt in a car accident in Virginia? Let Breit Law help you pursue just compensation for your injuries by:

Investigating the crash quickly to secure critical evidence for your case before that evidence is lost to time
Reviewing the evidence from the crash, including accident scene photos and police crash reports, to determine what happened in the accident and identify who might be responsible for causing the accident
Preparing and filing your demand for compensation with the insurance companies and aggressively negotiating for a fair settlement that provides you with the full compensation you need for your recovery
Pursuing your case in court if we can’t reach a settlement that pays you the financial recovery we believe you deserve

If you’ve been injured in a car crash, call or contact the car accident lawyers in Virginia, VA at Breit Law PC today for a free, no-obligation consultation. You can speak with a knowledgeable member of our team about your rights and legal options.