A recently settled Virginia car crash case was recently settled for $1.1 Million.
Photo source: car-accidents.com
The cause: Speeding and alcohol contributed to rear end crash.
Case Summary
A vehicle owned by the back-seat passenger and driven by one of the decedents was traveling on Rt. 220 in Henry County. A pickup truck towing a trailer rear-ended the car. The crash pushed the car off the road, where it collided with a tree. Both the driver and the owner of the car were killed.
The ensuing investigation of the crash by the Virginia Department of State Police revealed several facts about the pickup driver:
- The driver of the pickup (defendant) was driving a corporate vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .190. The Commonwealth of Virginia defines drunk driving as having a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher.
- The black box in the pickup revealed that two seconds before impact and deployment of the airbags the driver of the pickup was traveling at 98 mph. Traveling at a speed more than 20 mph above the posted speed limit is considered reckless driving in Virginia.
When the case was settled, the amount of the settlement was defined by limits of the driver’s and the corporation’s insurance. The total amount of the settlement was $1,100,000, which was equally divided by the two plaintiffs.
Crash Data
According to the latest data available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2015 9,557 fatalities resulted from speed-related crashes in the U.S. Speeding was a cause or a contributing factor in 28 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2014. NHTSA reports that speed-related crashes cost $40.4 billion each year.
Drunk driver accidents resulted in 10,265 fatalities in the U.S. in 2015. Alcohol impaired drivers were involved in 29 percent of all vehicle crashes in 2015 (defined as blood alcohol content of 0.08). In 2014, 41 percent of speeding drivers involved I fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher.
Conclusion
The crashes involving speeding and alcohol impairment together is a deadly combination. Unfortunately, too many drivers refuse to admit or recognize the level of their inebriation. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed by a drunk, speeding, or drunk and speeding driver, call Altizer Law, P.C. Our attorneys have the knowledge and experience to fight for you.
