Triple fatality pushes Virginia highway deaths over 1,000 for 2007

One thousand highway deaths in one year is a tragic milestone, and it was reached under tragic circumstances Saturday, with a triple fatality.

At 1:46 a.m. Saturday in Lynchburg, a young mother and father were killed, along with 27-year-old Herbert James, who reportedly crossed into southbound traffic on Fort Avenue, striking their car head-on. In the back seat of James and Ashley Johnson’s car, their infant child was strapped into a safety seat, and survived the accident.

Several days ago, it became apparent Virginia was likely to reach 1,000 highway deaths for the first time in 17 years. “It’s not a milestone we want to celebrate,” state police Superintendent Col. Steve Flaherty said at the time.

The tally came despite police pleas for motorists to slow down, drive sober and use seat belts. Legislators have cracked down on aggressive driving and drunken driving, and have tightened laws for young drivers.

In 2006, there were 961 fatalities statewide, including 83 in South Hampton Roads.

The Lynchburg accident raises the 2007 tally to 1,002.

“It’s an incredible tragedy, the number of lives we lose in Virginia every year,” state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Saturday.