It’s inevitable however that some roads be problematic.
Interstate 95 Southbound
I think that probably the most dangerous road in Northern Virginia at least is Interstate 95 southbound outside of the Beltway especially during the afternoon rush hour. That roadway is in large measure a racetrack. Vehicles traveling in the left lane heading south are traveling at least at 80 mph and many of them are traveling at over 100 mph.
The Ninja motorcyclists are traveling not only at high rates of speed but are zipping in and out of traffic changing lanes and moving in and out of your blind spots overtaking vehicles sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right and sometimes on the shoulder.
I have resolved never to travel that way again because of the dangers perceived.
The Mixing Bowl
The Mixing Bowl is the confluence of Interstate 95/395 and the Beltway at Springfield/Franconia.
VDOT has done a great job again in terms of construction and signage of that network of roads. The network however is so complicated, it involves so many exits and potential turns that any motorist who is not familiar with it is likely to get confused. That confusion leads to sudden stops and sudden turns in order to get onto what the motorist might think is the right roadway.
Traveling through the Mixing Bowl is inevitable if you travel much in Northern Virginia. It probably cannot be avoided. If however you have to travel through the Mixing Bowl, it is critical that you pay close attention to the signage.
The Beltway
I have the occasion to travel the Beltway with some frequency. To the extent that I can avoid it, I do so. My experience has been, in particular in the afternoon hours and also on weekends, the left lane literally is a race track. The Ninja motorcyclists are traveling at 100 mph. They are zipping in and out of traffic much like what I described on Interstate 95 southbound. They have no regard to whether anybody sees them because they view themselves as being invincible. It’s not unusual to see some of them doing wheelies in the left lane at speeds of over 60 mph. If I can avoid the left lane of the Beltway, I typically do so. Sometimes however you have to be in the left lane because there are some left exits on the Beltway.
Pedestrian Crossings
Pedestrians of course are always at risk when crossing any street. If at all possible, pedestrians should always cross at a crosswalk that is marked with solid parallel lines from curb to curb and cross lines with fresh paint so that there is no question that the motorist knows this is a zone of safety for the pedestrian. If at all possible, pedestrians should always cross in those areas.
Call, or contact us for a free consult. Also for more info on auto crashes see the Wikipedia pages. Also see the post on this site dealing with accident investigation issues.
