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Richmond Virginia Accident Lawyer Urges Reporting Speeding Police and State Troopers

Virginia lawyers who litigate traffic accidents see all kinds of quirky things. Even pillars of the community get carried away when behind the wheel and do things they ordinarily would not do -- and get carried away to the hospital!

A few weeks ago this happened to two volunteer fire fighters in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. They were responding to a house fire shortly after midnight near Route 1 when their truck crossed the double yellow line and crashed into an embankment. Both were injured and had to be transported to the hospital in Fredericks burg.

Thankfully, neither firefighter was killed, but the investigating officer charged the driver with failing to keep proper control of his vehicle. Essentially, the fireman was speeding. But how many times have you seen a police cruiser racing along the highway without its lights flashing or siren on? How many times when traveling on I-95, I-64, or I-295 have you seen a state police blue and gray zoom past your car and the trooper did not have his car's lights flashing or siren on to alert you? Does the badge excuse these acts? Never!!

Those flashing lights and wailing sirens are on police cars to WARN other drivers and pedestrians that a fast moving car is nearby. Moreover, that it is a police car engaged in serious or life-threating mission. Regulations of virtually every police department in the country require officers to use the "lights and siren" when they have to exceed the posted speed limit. It is a safety measure to protect the public and the officer.

With good reason. More than 20% of the auto accidents that occur in Virginia each year are caused by "driver distraction" (or inattention), and another 10% are caused by excessive speed. Therefore, a third of the accidents occurring statewide in Virginia are caused by these two things careless law officers do from time to time. This needs to be stopped, or at least controlled.

Next time you see a police officer speeding without "lights and siren," take down the information from his car, and report him to his agency. Police supervisors need to know when their officers are breaking the law in this manner because, whether they realize it or not, these people are endangering the lives of the people they are charged to serve and protect.