Parkersburg Interstate Accident Lawyer

While we spend a lot of time driving on local roads, many people take advantage of the open freeway, including interstate routes. Though it increases accessibility to other parts of the country, it is also a common setting for serious motor vehicle crashes, especially with freight-carrying commercial trucks. Call our trusted car crash attorneys when you need legal help. Our Parkersburg interstate accident lawyers know how to examine your claim and pursue damages.

What Is the Most Common Major Roadway Near Parkersburg?

The most significant roadway in Parkersburg is the West Virginia Turnpike and Interstate 77, which starts at Marietta, Ohio and heads down through Charlotte, all the way to Florida. Highway and freeway crashes on Interstate 77 are extremely common, and the turnpike is a winding mountainous road, where truck accidents are common, especially rollovers.

Highway/Interstate Accidents vs. Local Street Accidents

Vehicles on the turnpike and interstate are traveling at a higher rate of speed than they would be on any other local street, which greatly increases the chance for a collision. Unfortunately, most people do not follow the limit and are often going at least 10 miles over the speed limit. Raising the speed limit has had an impact, particularly for these truckers that are traveling faster than they should be with their large and heavy loads. This tends to increase the number of accidents and the likelihood of injury if they collide with another vehicle.

With the major highways through West Virginia and Parkersburg, trucking accidents are more common, and drivers are often in a trucker’s blind spot, which increases the odds of a serious incident. Anyone involved in a crash should contact law enforcement and seek proper medical treatment immediately. Once they are safe and accounted for, they should contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss potential liability and litigation.

Emergency Response Times

With the highways being patrolled by police fairly regularly, the accident response time on Interstate 77 should be quick. The turnpike, on the other hand, is a fairly rural roadway and does not hit a lot of major cities, so response time for law enforcement and medical personnel might be delayed. This not only affects a person’s safety, especially if they have a life-threatening injury, but it could also affect the ability to secure evidence after a collision. If they are able, a motorist should take pictures at the scene, especially if emergency services have not yet arrived.

The Dangers of Teen Driving

A common issue many people encounter on highways is teenage drivers. In Parkersburg, teens can obtain their driver’s permit at age 15 and their driver’s license at age 16. West Virginia does not require someone to attend driver’s education courses in order to secure a permit or license, other than a certain number of hours of supervised driving. This means there might be inexperienced and erratic drivers on the road who could end up being liable for a crash.

Ask Our Parkersburg Interstate and Highway Accident Attorneys for Legal Representation

If an injured motorist is unconscious or unable to take immediate steps to contact an attorney, the focus should be on seeking proper medical treatment first. After that, we recommend you contact Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, the largest female-run law firm in the country. Our Parkersburg interstate accident lawyer could talk with you during a free consultation and go over your next steps to seek justice.