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Loudoun, Leesburg Look To Red Light Cameras - Article in Leesburg Today

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• Automobile Accidents in Northern Virginia

Automobile Accidents in Northern Virginia

A man from West Virginia was killed in an automobile accident in Sterling, Virginia. The 29-year-old man lost control of his car and crashed near the East Jefferson Road Intersection. He was taken to Inova Loudoun Hospital, where he died. In this year alone, fourteen people have died on Loudoun County’s roadways.

But death is not the only concern for motorists. The potential ramifications of getting into a car and driving on the roads are staggering: motorcyclists are at an elevated risk of injury, as are bicyclists; air bags can led to serious injuries, even fatalities; without wearing a properly-fitted seat belt, passengers can be thrown from the vehicle; pedestrians have to take extra precautions when crossing at intersections, even when they cross with the light; even infants and young children are affected if their seats are improperly installed, their belts are poorly fitted, or their parents neglect to use these safety devices.

According to a DMV report from 2004, 19,098 accidents occurred in Fairfax County; 6,777 in Prince William County; 4,467 in Loudoun County; and 3,072 in the city of Alexandria. Most of those injured were in their twenties and thirties, the prime age of young commuters coming in and out of the area. What’s more, while the backdrop of MADD may make it easy to attribute most automobile accidents to drunk drivers, 94.4% of the crashes were caused by some traffic violation, but only 7.4% involved drinking.

Traffic is becoming more of a problem in the Northern Virginia as congestion increases with higher populations and more commuters coming into the area. And while the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority is doing their best to combat the congestion and enhance the flow of both commuters and commerce, the increase in traffic has led to an equivalent increase in the number of fender benders and deaths.

Given the new Virginia traffic laws and fines, the monetary cost of breaking the rules can be overwhelming. If you speed 20 mph over the posted limit, the Commonwealth could fine you for $1, 050. Add to that the judge’s $200 fine, the increased potential for an accident, and the ensuing medical bills and insurance problems, and the stage is set for something so staggering it could send your family into an uncontrollable downward spiral.

What’s worse, the area’s attempts at fixing these problems may only increase the likelihood of accidents. In Leesburg, officials proposed installing red-light cameras that would take a picture of any red-light runners after half a second elapsed. Optimally, these efforts should encourage drivers to stop during the yellow light instead of racing through a red and possibly causing an accident. Many fear that these red-light cameras will increase the number of fender-benders before they limit the number of drivers who run red lights. The gesture is certainly aimed in the right direction, although it may produce new problems before it solves the larger issue.

While we certainly encourage you to obey the rules while driving on the road, if you are involved in an auto accident, do not hesitate to contact Thomas Robl at your earliest convenience. He can help with the process of handling insurance companies, tickets, and fines. Thomas Robl can be reached at 703-777-6787.

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