BEDFORD CO., Va. (WDBJ) – Kohl Patrick Lambert tragically lost his life in a car accident while driving home after celebrating his 21st birthday.
Expressing profound grief, his mother, Kelli Lambert, highlighted the urgent need for road safety enhancements to prevent such devastating incidents.
Describing the heartbreaking event, Kelli Lambert shared, “My son was just starting life, he passed 25 minutes after his birthday.” Kohl Lambert was driving on Goodview Road when the accident occurred, coming from Roanoke and navigating a curve at 40 miles per hour with his seatbelt on, in full compliance with traffic laws. Unfortunately, he encountered icy conditions that led to the fatal crash.
Recalling the tragic moment, Kelli Lambert recounted, “My son came around that curve and sustained a fatal head-on injury. The airbags deployed, and it took his life instantly.”
Concerned about the longstanding safety risks on Goodview Road, Kelli Lambert appealed to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to install guardrails along the embankment areas to prevent future tragedies.
“He was doing absolutely nothing wrong, he was driving to get home,” lamented Kelli Lambert. “Just trying to get home. I got my last hug from him that day. And I didn’t know it was going to be my last.”
With a history of accidents on Goodview Road, including 99 crashes since 2019, three of which resulted in fatalities, Kelli Lambert expressed her distress, referring to the road as a “dead man’s road.”
In response to the concerns raised, VDOT has implemented safety measures such as trimming vegetation, updating signs, and installing additional curve warning signs and chevrons along Goodview Road. Despite these efforts, Kelli Lambert emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the road’s dangers and advocating for further safety enhancements.
Following the tragic loss of her son, Kelli Lambert is determined to initiate a petition to ensure that necessary safety improvements are prioritized to prevent future accidents and protect lives on the road.
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