The state of Virginia has released crash and ticketing data related to the long Labor Day weekend. Based on information from the state police, a total of nine deaths occurred as a result of automobile accidents. Authorities were called to the scene of 636 accidents, and of the nine that were fatal, eight involved cars, and one involved a moped. The individual who died as a result of the moped accident was wearing his helmet, authorities say, and of the eight individuals involved in the deadly car accidents, five were not wearing seat belts at the time of the collision. Two of the car accidents that ended in death involved alcohol.
The moped accident took place in Virginia Beach, and the car accidents occurred in Chesterfield, Bland, Campbell, Frederick, Hanover, Lee and Roanoke counties, respectively. Last year, only six fatalities occurred compared to this year’s nine deaths, but the overall number of traffic deaths for this year are down when compared to last year. As of Sept. 3, 2012, 514 people had died in car accidents in the year so far; as of Sept. 3 this year, only 458 people have died in accidents across the state.
Between midnight on Aug. 30 and midnight on Sept. 1, police wrote more than 11,000 speeding tickets and more than 2,400 tickets for reckless driving. During this time frame, 108 drivers were arrested for driving under the influence.
People on the road are not always paying attention to what they are doing, and if they cause an accident, it can lead to major physical injuries and damage to someone’s vehicle. If an individual has been in a car crash, a lawyer may be able to help them pursue compensation for medical costs and explain their rights.
Source: Daily Progress, “State police: Nine killed in Labor Day weekend crashes“, September 04, 2013