Deadly Car Accidents Are Reminders to Remember Road Safety Rules

A string of deadly car accidents throughout West Virginia in recent days are reminders of how dangerous cars can be and should cause us to revisit road safety rules.

One crash, in Clay County, West Virginia, took the life of a seventeen year old girl. The Clay County Crash occurred when a truck carrying 11 people struck a guardrail, ripped through the twisted metal, and plunged down a streambed along W.Va. 36. According to news reports five of the 11 people had been riding in the bed of the truck while six others had crammed into the truck’s cab. Other individuals involved in the collision suffered serious injuries.

Another deadly crash occurred Wednesday, August 7, 2013, in Tucker County, West Virginia around 5:10 a.m. according to police reports. State Police said Joshua Watson of Elkins was traveling south on Route 219 in a Honda Accord when the vehicle traveled left of center and was struck by a truck. Watson along with a seven year old boy and an 8 year old girl were killed in the crash. Two other passengers in the car were life flighted to Ruby Memorial Hospital.

These devastating car accidents causing loss of life are stark reminders to us all to be careful when driving on West Virginia roads. Here are some road safety tips from our West Virginia injury lawyers that we should all be mindful of when driving:

• Be mindful of the speed limit;
• Always make sure you and your passengers are wearing seatbelts;
• When confronted with an aggressive driver, do not respond with aggressive driving;
• Do not use a handheld phone while driving;
• Always make sure you have received plenty of sleep prior to driving any amount of distance;
• Watch for warning signs of fatigue;
• If you feel drowsy while driving, pull off into a safe rest area and take a short nap;
• At night, don’t overdrive your headlights;
• Use your turn signals;
• Drive carefully next to large trucks;
• Adjust your speed before curves;
• Make sure the intersection is clear before entering.

While these are just a few safe driving tips, it is important to be mindful of other drivers and the road conditions when you are making a trip, no matter what the distance.