Man is Killed on I-264 in Chesapeake in Accident with a Snow Plow

I was saddened to read the snow that has blanketed Hampton Roads over the last two days has claimed its first life.

NewsChannel 13 reported a man was killed in Chesapeake when his car ran into a vehicle plowing snow. Virginia State Police reported that the driver lost control of his car after hitting the plow, spun around and crashed into a guardrail on I-264 west near I-664 north around 9:35 p.m. Monday.

A Catepillar Motorgrader was working on the road to clear snow from the shoulder at the time, Virginia State Police investigators said. The 39-year-old victim was from Portsmouth and was wearing a seatbelt, police said.

The operator of the motorgrader wasn’t hurt. Police said the accident remains under investigation.

There are plenty of snow plows on the highways of Hampton Roads and they may only now be getting to residential streets. If you are driving near a snow plow you should exercise extreme care. Here are some safety tips for driving near snow plows.

• Give snowplows room to work on the roads. Never tailgate or try to pass on untreated roads.
• Bear in mind snow plows may not be operating alone. There may be a team that will block up several lanes of the highway;
• Stay at least four car lengths back from snowplows and clearing equipment ;
• Be aware that freshly plowed snow can create a cloud that can blind drivers following too close ;
• Be aware that spreaders on maintenance trucks can throw salt, sand or cinders that can damage close-following vehicles;
• Plow truck operators are concentrating on snow removal. They cannot always watch out for the drivers around them, which means they may fail to see you if you try to pass or even collide with their equipment;
• You should slow down even more in construction zones even if they they are inactive in winter weather ;
• Always keep your headlights on in bad weather and have adequate gas, wiper fluid and tires with ample tread;
• Drive in areas treated by plows rather than the untreated areas in front of snow plows where you could come to grief.

Refreezing of snow was reported as a problem during this morning’s commute in Hampton Roads. Chesapeake has reported almost 100 accidents since the snow began to fall on Monday night and many other cities have seen an elevated accident rate. If you have been hurt in an accident caused by a driver who failed to cope with snow or ice, call Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers for a free consultation at 757.455.0077.