Tort Law

Brien Roche

This page within Virginia Tort Case Law is a compilation of cases reported by the Virginia Supreme Court and summarized by Brien Roche dealing with the topic of Skids. For more information on traffic collisions see the pages on Wikipedia.  

Skids-Cases

1992 Edlow v. Arnold, 243 Va. 345, 415 S.E.2d 436.Rear-end accident. Jury verdict for defendant. Mere proof of skidding on slippery road does not establish negligence, but is circumstance to be considered along with all other events. 

1991 Medlar v. Mohan,242 Va. 162, 409 S.E.2d 123.Mere proof that vehicle skidded on slippery highway does not establish negligence per se, but it is circumstance to be considered. Primary inquiry must be focused on conduct of operator prior to skidding. Defendant in this case began to gear down when she was some distance from intersection but that did not slow vehicle down. She then applied her brakes and began to skid. Jury issue presented as to her negligence. 

1981 Trail v. White, 221 Va. 932, 275 S.E.2d 617.Mere skidding does not establish negligence but is circumstance to be considered. Principal inquiry is driver’s conduct prior to skidding. 

1980 Coleman v. Blankenship Oil Corp., 221 Va. 124, 267 S.E.2d 143.Plaintiff hit patch of oil on road and skidded. Question of reasonable speed for jury. 

1976 Semones v. Johnson, 217 Va. 293, 227 S.E.2d 731.Estimates by witnesses of speed were within speed limit; but, physical evidence of skid marks and force of physical impact would support finding that defendant’s speed was excessive and proximately contributed to accident. 

1975 Arnold v. Reynolds, 215 Va. 431, 211 S.E.2d 46.Evidence presented of host driver’s intoxication plus other evidence showing extensive skid marks, both before and after leaving paved portion of highway proper issue for jury determination presented. 

1974 Meador v. Lawson, 214 Va. 759, 204 S.E.2d 285.Defendant skidded on snow. Jury question presented. 

1973 Johnson v. Slusher, 213 Va. 728, 195 S.E.2d 871.Trial court set aside verdict in favor of plaintiff on basis of skid mark testified to by trooper. But jury was not bound to accept testimony of trooper and to find that skid mark was made by plaintiff’s vehicle. Other evidence presented in plaintiffs’ favor was not incredible error to set aside verdict. 

1970 Foster v. Wilhite, 210 Va. 589, 172 S.E.2d 745.Manifestly, car is not under proper control when it leaves its lane of travel and skids 175 feet sideways and collides with another vehicle in opposite lane. 

1966 Guill v. Aaron, 207 Va. 393, 150 S.E.2d 95.Plaintiff guest injured when defendant sped up and hit icy spot in road and then struck embankment. Simple negligence at best. Mere evidence of skidding on slippery roadway does not establish negligence but is simply circumstance to be considered. 

1966 Stevens v. Summers, 207 Va. 320, 150 S.E.2d 83.Head-on collision at night on straight road. Each driver testified that other crossed over center line into wrong lane. Skid marks, though not necessarily attributed to either vehicle, were however relevant. 

1963 Pullen v. Fagan, 204 Va. 601, 132 S.E.2d 718.Skidding of auto on slippery highway is not negligent in and of itself but is circumstance to be considered along with all other evidence. 

1962 Mosley v. Chenault, 203 Va. 648, 125 S.E.2d 832.Marks on road after accident did not conclusively establish who was on wrong side of road. 

1961 Bedget v. Lewin,202 Va. 535, 118 S.E.2d 650.Skidding of automobile is not negligence per se but is circumstance to be considered along with all other evidence in determining whether negligence has been proved.

1959 Swindall v. Fuller, 200 Va. 581, 106 S.E.2d 608.Police allowed to testify as to speed of vehicle based on length of skids and table of stopping distances. 

1958 Woodson v. Germas, 200 Va. 205, 104 S.E.2d 739.Estimates of speed based on skid marks should be based on average length of marks made by four wheels. 

1958 Richardson v. Lovvorn, 199 Va. 688, 101 S.E.2d 511.Police officer conducted skid test to determine speed of defendant’s vehicle to put down 59 feet of skids. 

1955 Short v. Long,197 Va. 104, 87 S.E.2d 776.Courses that vehicles took after accident when they were concededly out of control and fact that most of skids made on highway after vehicles made contact appeared on left side of road are not conclusive as to how or precisely where on road vehicles struck each other.

1955 Crist v. Coach Co.,196 Va. 642, 85 S.E.2d 213.Skidding of automobile is not negligence per se but is circumstance to be considered along with all other evidence in determining whether negligence has been proved. 

1950 Sink v. Masterson, 191 Va. 618, 61 S.E.2d 863.Length of skids tends to show that defendant unable to avoid collision because vehicle not under proper control. 

1943 Lawrence v. Commonwealth,181 Va. 582, 26 S.E.2d 54.Witness will be allowed to testify as to skids that he saw for first time two days after accident where it appeared that skid mark could not have been made by any car other than of defendant.