Speeding Motorcyclists in Hampton Roads Caused Two Fatal Wrecks, Say Police

Police say speeding motorcyclists in Hampton Roads caused two fatal crashes this week. A deadly motorcycle wreck in Virginia Beach on Tuesday night left a rider dead and two people in a car with life-threatening injuries.

The crash on Tuesday night took place on Virginia Beach Boulevard at the intersection of Wexford Drive.

Virginia Beach Police said a preliminary investigation found a motorcyclist was traveling at a high rate of speed west on Virginia Beach Boulevard when the rider struck a vehicle that was attempting to turn left onto Wexford Drive.

The motorcyclist was killed at the scene. The impact was powerful enough to overturn the car. Police said two people in the car were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The deceased rider was later identified as a 36-year-old woman from Virginia Beach.

Our thoughts are with the injured and the family of the rider who died. Although car drivers can be at fault for not seeing a motorcyclist when making a left turn, if a biker is speeding there may be little a driver can do to avert a crash.

Norfolk Motorcyclist was Killed in Hampton
Speeding motorcyclists in Hampton Roads were linked to another fatal crash scene this week. A motorcyclist was killed on July 9 in Hampton. Police said one rider died at the scene and another sustained injuries after both of them were thrown from their bikes while traveling at high speeds, according to Hampton Police Division.

Hampton police said the crash occurred 6:20 p.m. in the 300 block of Big Bethel Road.

Two male motorcyclists were found at the accident scene by first responders. One of them, a 21-year-old man from Norfolk, was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was transported to a local hospital for the treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The police report stated both riders were traveling at a high rate of speed when they lost control of their motorcycles and were thrown into the road.

How Many People Are Killed Every Year by Speeding Drivers in Virginia?

Last year 318 people were killed by excess speed in Virginia. The figure was a 0.6 percent increase on 2016 and represented a big chunk of the 843 people who lost their lives on the roads of Virginia last year. Alcohol was a factor in only 9 percent of all crashes caused by speeding.

Speed kills. Both riders, drivers and other motorists have less time to react if a car, truck or motorcycle is traveling at a high rate of speed. According to Crash Facts, published by the Virginia Highway Safety Office, 23,948 crashes were caused by excess speed in Virginia in 2017.

Are the Number of Motorcyclist Deaths Rising in Virginia?

Figures compiled by the Virginia Highway Safety Office and the Department of Motor Vehicles found there were 107 deaths on motorcycles last year, a 48 percent increase on the previous year. Speeding motorcyclists in Hampton Roads contributed to the death toll in our cities.

Although the trend for 2018 is not clear, we have seen a spate of fatal and serious motorcycle crashes in Hampton Roads in recent weeks. Typically, more motorcyclists lose their lives in the summer months when more riders are on the roads.

Motorcycles are often powerful machines. However, the events of this week have shown driving at high rates of speed can be a death sentence. Please keep your speed down in Hampton Roads. Drivers should watch out for motorcyclists. If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident or hurt by a speeding motorcyclist, please contact our personal injury lawyers in Virginia Beach or call us at (757) 333-3333.