https://youtu.be/jb8YxTLzWio

 

|SAFER ROADS COULD HELP SAVE MORE LIVES|

“Crash injuries are estimated to be the eighth leading cause of death globally for all age groups and the leading cause of death for children and young people 5–29 years of age. More people now die in crashes than from HIV/AIDS.”Google Search Jan 10, 2023

Just a few nights ago my entire life flashed before my eyes. I was involved in a car accident while traveling through Kinsale, VA, on route 202. I was just cruising along the back road. Until suddenly, I approached another vehicle that was either sitting completely still, or just driving very slowly. It was very hard to tell because it was pitch dark, plus it was, raining as hard as it could. The vehicle that sat ahead of my path, had no emergency flashers on. I could only barely, spot the vehicle’s back lights. As soon as I spotted the vehicle, my very first reaction was to tap on the brakes. As I tapped my brakes I noticed my car had no traction at all. Therefore my car just kept right on sliding down; what I would describe as a ‘slippery slope’ of a hill.  Well I did not want slam into the back of the other vehicle, because that would result in more people getting hurt. Instead, I continued to guide my car around the vehicle, in order to dodge it completely. After that the other vehicle just kept going on about their business and no one stopped to ask me was I okay. Regardless if they stopped to check on me or not. This accident is still not their fault either. 

As I was capable of missing the other vehicle entirely. However, the car sled so much that I just couldn’t avoid hitting the banks on both sides of the road. This accident was a nightmare and continues to be. There’s belief that my car is possibly totaled. The bank did that much damage. 

The next day, as the sun came up, I decided to go back to my accident scene; just to take a look. This is what I discovered….

There were a lot of decent size rocks all over that road; And the area located, at the same exact location of my accident. Apparently what happens is…. whenever it rains really hard, those rocks gets washed down off the bank, by water, pushing them onto the road. Also, whenever rocks are on a hard surface they roll much better than what they would on a soft ground or rather;  if rocks are on dirt or mud the weight of a vehicle would push the rocks down into the dirt/mud. However in my situation the rocks were pushed onto the hard paved road. At first I did not understand why my vehicle could not gain any traction, until I went back to my accident scene. My car was just sliding across them rocks on the road and it did not stop sliding until it got to the bottom of that hill. I am glad that  I went back to the scene to take a look. I would have never discovered this and I would still be in suspense about what cause my car to not have the traction it needed in order stop. It’s a brand new car so the brakes works great. There were just no traction at all because of those rocks. 

Many families get affected by car accidents everyday, every week, every year, etc  and the chances of survival aren’t always so high. Like I mentioned earlier ‘my entire life flashed before my eyes’. You see, I know the survival percentages/chances of living through a car accident, are like playing a game of monopoly. I may have survived to live after that one but what about the people that don’t make it out. I am starting this petition to raise awareness about the infrastructure of the backroads throughout all of our small towns in the local area. I’m firm believer in the old cliche that ‘We Have Got To Start Somewhere’. 

Since God had me survive I believe he wants me to perform this mission. He don’t pick the wrong one, he only picks the right ones. 

Join this petition and let’s push for improvements to our backroads. This was a wake up call for me and now that I am awake I am going to use it to my fullest advantage. Please sign the petition and after that let’s get together and point out every bad road/highway. And let’s knock on the government door and ask that they strive with us.

I started a petition to promote improvement of backroads conditions. Hazardous road conditions are infrastructure and it affects everyone that drives on them. My accident was on Route 202 in Westmoreland County VA. Here’s a few details to start with.

We are petitioning to get that hazardous ⚠️ road fixed.

1. With all that loose gravel on the road it makes the vehicle slide instead of stopping

2. There should be a hazardous road sign ahead.
|slippery when wet, Slippery Slope Ahead, a sign indicating to reduce speed, etc.|
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️

And step 3.
V-DOT should rebuild that road in that spot. We may even should petition placing a bridge there.

Thanks for your time, Colby Finkley

Here’s my phone number 404-807-3189