The I-264/I-64 interchange in Hampton Roads, Virginia is the busiest in the Hampton Roads area, and the second-busiest in the state. It also has the highest number of recorded accidents for 2017 in Virginia.
Specifically, the point where I-64 eastbound merges with I-264 is where most of the crashes occur, where drivers crest a hill and by the time they see the traffic that is stopped, they do not have enough time to react. Virginia State Highway Patrol officials say it is rare for officers to finish a shift without an accident occurring there.
The state police say that many of the accidents in the area occur further away from that point because traffic can back up a mile or more and that is where many of the accidents happen. It is a direct result of the high volume of the I-64 and I-264 interchange.
State officials say that almost 400,000 cars go through the intersection each weekday, which leads to many crashes each year.
The good news is that the Virginia Department of Transportation is working on improvements that will offer four miles of positive changes to this congested area. It is hoped that this will bring the number of crashes down.
The state police also want to remind drivers in the Hampton Roads area to slow down and to pay close attention because of the high amount of traffic and backups in this area.
Our View
Our personal injury attorneys are based in the Hampton Roads, Virginia area, and we know that there is a traffic accident in this area every 19 minutes. And every two days or so, one person dies in one of these car or truck accidents.
Data also shows that the crash rate in Hampton Roads is 4% higher than Roanoke’s and Richmond’s, and it is even 10% higher than Northern Virginia’s.
One of the reasons there are more crashes here is there is more alcohol involved in the accidents. This could be because there are more people going to the beach and drinking. Needless to say, it is unacceptable to be traveling the Hampton Roads highways and drinking.
Statistics also suggest that following too closely is a common cause of fatal accidents here.
Our Virginia personal injury attorneys want to stress that people can avoid serious accidents and personal injury lawsuits that can have hundreds of thousands awarded in financial damages. Just slow down, don’t follow too closely, and don’t drink and drive.
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