Occupant of Broken Down Car is Injured on I-64 in Norfolk

Sections of I-64 have the highest accident record in Hampton Roads. On Thursday an accident with injuries was confirmed by Virginia State Police near Twin Bridges in Norfolk.

WAVY.com reported how just after 8 p.m., dispatchers received a 911 call about a disabled white sedan with its flashers activated. State police said the car was stopped in the left lane of I-64 East, just west of the Twin Bridges.

State police said when troopers arrived, the vehicle had been hit by another vehicle and the occupant was injured and trapped inside the car, according to police spokeswoman Sergeant Michelle Anaya.

Troopers were reported to be still at the accident scene, near Exit 284, around 10 p.m.

No information was given in the report about the seriousness of the injuries sustained by the occupant of the car. As a Norfolk car accident lawyer, I have been many crashes involving cars that are broken down or stopped on the Interstate.

In April 2014, a crash occurred near the same location when a driver had to be pulled out of the water below the Twin Bridges, the Virginian-Pilot reported.

State police reported on how a 2003 Honda Accord made a sudden lane change and sideswiped a 1997 Toyota 4Runner. The SUV overturned and ended up in the water. Miraculously, the driver reported only minor scrapes and cuts and was picked up by a passing boat.

The National Safety Council provides some important tips on what to do if you break down on the Interstate or the highway.

• At the first sign of trouble take your foot gently off the accelerator. Do not brake suddenly;
• Make your presence clear to other vehicles. Put reflectorized triangles behind your car to alert other drivers; use your emergency flashers if you break down at night;
• Do not change a flat tire on the road if you are close to oncoming traffic;
• If your car is safely out of the way if traffic, wait inside it with the doors locked. Use your cell phone to call for help.

If you are hurt when you are broken down or changing a tire, you may have grounds to file a claim against the insurance policy of the driver who hit you. Call Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers at 757.455.0077.