North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog

NBC 6 is reporting that a Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina car accident may have been caused by a teenager eating a piece of cake.

The 16-year-old was reportedly eating cake as she drove over Wrightsville Beach bridge on Friday night; causing her to slam into the guardrail.

How about a taco? Or maybe some Chinese food? (with chopsticks, of course)

As our North Carolina injury lawyers continue to report, teenagers are at the highest risk for being involved in a serious or fatal car accidents. In fact, car accidents are the leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Our North Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Blog has a wealth of safety information parents can use when discussing driving safety with their teenagers.

The federal government's distracted driving website also provides resources and statistics.

While the government is focused on reducing the dangers of text messaging and cell-phone use while driving, other dangerous driving habits include eating, drinking, smoking, grooming, applying makeup and using electronic devices. Nationwide, an estimated 6,000 people are killed and more than 500,000 are injured in accidents caused by distracted driving.

Only drunk driving and speeding are more dangerous driving behaviors. Not surprisingly, teenagers are at high risk for all three.

Continue reading "Cake eating teenager reportedly responsible for distracted driving North Carolina car accident" »

Our hearts go out to the family of a teenager killed in a North Carolina car accident allegedly caused by a man with three drunk driving convictions on his record.

The Charlotte Observer reported that the 17-year-old was killed in the Gaston County crash. She had recently graduated from North Gaston High School. The 28-year-old driver of the car has been charged with second degree murder and is in jail on a $2 million bond.

Our Charlotte, North Carolina injury lawyers take special care in fighting for the rights of clients who have been seriously injured or killed in drunk driving accidents. These are frequently tragic cases as families are forced to deal with the devastation caused by the senseless acts of a driver who climbs behind the wheel after having too much to drink.

Five hundred of the 1,433 fatal North Carolina car accidents reported in 2008 involved a driver under the influence of alcohol, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The laws are evidently not working. North Carolina drunk driving laws provide for permanent revocation of a driver's license if the previous violation is within 5 years. What is this 28-year-old defendant still doing on the road with three previous DUI charges?

This girl was killed and two of her friends were seriously injured by a habitual drunk driver. The accident happened Sunday night on Dallas-Cherryville Highway and also seriously injured two of her friends. Despite his DWIs, the defendant has spent a total of just 37 days in jail (a third conviction calls for a mandatory one-year jail sentence).

He was on the road, despite having a revoked license. Police say his Jeep Cherokee was traveling 60 mph when it crossed the center line and collided head-on with a 1984 Oldsmobile. Witnesses said he was driving erratically and passed two other cars before the crash.

Continue reading "Charlotte, North Carolina drunk driving accident kills teenager, seriously injures two friends" »

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is conducting a two-day crackdown on commercial vehicle safety, according to NBC News in Charlotte.

Our Charlotte, North Carolina trucking accident lawyers applaud efforts by law enforcement to ensure semis and other large commercial vehicles are complying with the state and federal safety regulations that are in place to protect the public.

In 2009, a total of 8,641 commercial vehicle accidents were reported, claiming 98 lives and injuring 1,839.

This week's enforcement on I-77 will have troopers looking for overweight trucks and semis that are speeding, tailgating or being operated aggressively. Dubbed "Operation Road Watch," it is the first project to focus exclusively on commercial vehicles and will be conducted in other counties later in the year.

Meanwhile, the patrol is also urging motorists to keep safety in mind when around semis and other large trucks. The initiative is called "Don't Press your Luck! Leave room for trucks."

-Don't cut off trucks. When passing, allow at least one car length for every 10 mph of speed before merging.

-Don't tailgate. When following a truck, leave yourself enough room to stop safely.

-Don't speed. use a safe speed when passing trucks.

Continue reading "North Carolina semi accidents in focus as authorities preach safety and increase enforcement" »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging motorists to practice safe driving habits through the remainder of the summer, even as it prepares to release data showing a record-low number of fatal traffic accidents occurred in the United States last year.

Our North Carolina injury lawyers expect nationwide accident data to show a decline of 20 percent in the number of serious and fatal accidents in some areas of the country. The downturn in the economy, fewer commuters and fewer tourists and vacation travelers are responsible for a large part of the decline. Although safety advocates also point to safer vehicles, distracted driving laws and primary enforcement of safety measures like seat belt campaigns.

Authorities are urging millions of Americans to practice safe driving as they hit the roads between now and the start of the school year. The majority of North Carolina car accidents can be linked to just a few dangerous and deadly driving habits, including drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving and aggressive driving.

Distracted driving continues to be a primary focus of government safety initiatives. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 6,000 people are killed each year in traffic accidents caused by distracted driving and another 500,000 are injured. Cell phone use is first on the list but other forms of driver distraction include eating, smoking, grooming, talking to passengers and using in-car electronic devices.

More information about distracted driving is available at www.distraction.gov.

Proper tire inflation is also a concern during hot summer weather. Underinflated tires or worn tread can quickly lead to disaster, especially in a car loaded with family members and luggage. Motorists should ensure proper tire care -- including rotation, inflation and maintenance -- and mind vehicle load limits. Tire inflation is important for all vehicles but has been shown to be especially critical in high vehicles and vehicles already prone to rollover accidents, including SUVs.

For more information about tire safety, visit www.safecar.gov.

Other NHTSA safe summer driving tips include:

-Never leave a child unattended in or near a vehicle. Temperatures inside a vehicle can quickly climb to lethal levels.

-Use child safety seats whenever appropriate.

-Always buckle up.

-Don't drink and drive.

-Avoid fatigue and reduce stress. Drivers should get plenty of rest before traveling and leave in plenty of time to reach their destination.

-Keep vehicles properly maintained, and make sure windshield wipers and lights are working correctly.

Continue reading "Safe driving habits can reduce the risk of North Carolina car accidents" »

Carolina Parent recently published an informative article about parents dealing with young teen drivers.

As we reported last month on our North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog, teenagers are at the highest risk of any age group when it comes to being involved in a serious or fatal car accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that car accidents are the leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 20.

Fatal North Carolina car accidents involving teenagers killed more than 180 motorists last year. While more than 100 motorists died as a result of South Carolina car accidents involving young drivers.

Carolina Parent's article, "Before you hand over the keys," provides parents with several safety and insurance tips:

-Vehicle Ownership: North Carolina's Family Purpose Doctrine can hold a vehicle's owners responsible for a driver's negligence. The law applies whenever a driver is using the car for a family purpose, such as going to the store or running errands. Titling a car in a child's name may best protect a family's assets in the event of an accident.

Insurance Options: Options include adding a teen to your insurance policy or helping a teenage driver obtain his or her own insurance policy. Premiums can be lower for teens who are added to a family policy but there are also liability issues that may be best discussed with a local attorney.

How much coverage: The minimum amount required by law is 30/60/25, meaning $30,000 for any one person injured by a driver, $60,000 for all injured parties combined, and $25,000 in property damage coverage per accident. However, these limits may be nowhere near enough for a serious accident. Setting aside medical expenses, the property liability alone could well exceed $25,000 in the event that a child is involved in an accident with a new Mercedes.

New cars Teens are likely to suffer a few scrapes and bumps on the way to learning to drive. Safe used cars are the best option. As North Carolina child injury lawyers, we also encourage parents to focus on purchasing a larger, safer vehicle for a teenager -- skip the high performance sports cars.

Staying Safe: Speaking early and often with your teenager about the dangers of driving and safe driving habits can help them appreciate the risks associated with climbing behind the wheel.

Continue reading "Teens at high risk of being involved in a North Carolina car accidents" »

Authorities have sought to reduce the risk of North Carolina car accidents by outlawing texting and driving. In South Carolina ... not so much.

As MSNBC points out in a series on summer road trips, knowing the laws in the states where you are traveling has become critical to avoiding a ticket, which can range from $20 to $150.

While the Bellingham Herald reported that lawmakers started 2010 with a promise to ban texting and driving, "South Carolina lawmakers spent the session competing to see who could make our bill least effective, and then making sure in never passed."

Meanwhile, it will be up to motorists to know the rules of the road whenever traveling across state lines. "Drivers are still responsible for knowing the cell phone laws that apply in each state," said AAA spokeswoman Nancy White.

Our Carolina car accident lawyers urge drivers to forgo using a cell phone for any reason while behind the wheel. Particularly while on vacation! Give yourself and the motorists around you a break and save the phone calls and text messages for after the drive.

The Governor's Highway Safety Association provides a complete list of state cell phone laws for drivers. Eight states ban the use of hand-held cell phones: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington.

-Twenty-eight states ban the use of cell phones by young drivers.

-Thirty states ban text messaging while driving.

Some states permit cities to enact their own legislation, creating multiple laws in different jurisdictions within the state.

Continue reading "Laws governing distracted driving different in North and South Carolina" »

Authorities hope a new series of public service announcements will help reduce the risk of North Carolina car accidents involving teenagers who text message while behind the wheel.

The Charlotte Observer interviewed a number of teenagers who said the video was hard to watch.

It depicts teenagers in a car, texting and talking. The ride turns deadly as the teenagers in the car are injured or killed in an accident, along with the family in the other car involved in the wreck.

Authorities are hoping such an in-your-face message will make the point: Distracted driving has become a deadly serious problem on the nation's roads. The number of fatal accidents nationwide has declined from 42,836 in 2004 to 37,261 in 2008. But the number of traffic fatalities blamed on distracted driving has actually increased about 25 percent, from 4,978 in 2004 to 5,870 in 2008, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

The new video by AAA has gotten mixed reviews because of its graphic nature. However, the agency is making no apologies.

"It's one thing to tell people not to text and drive. By eliciting an emotional response, we hope this video will change deadly distracted driving behavior," said Dave Parsons, CEO of AAA Carolinas, through a news release.

The federal government's distracted driving website reports that more than 6,000 motorists are killed each year and 600,000 are injured in accidents caused by distracted driving. Younger, inexperienced drivers under the age of 20 have the highest rate of distraction-related fatal crashes. Those ages 20 to 29 have the next-highest rate of fatal accidents caused by distracted driving.

Both age groups are among the most likely to text or use a cell phone while driving.

Continue reading "Officials hope graphic video helps reduce North Carolina car accidents caused by text messaging " »

North Carolina drivers are among the most likely to be cited for speeding, according to a report released by the National Motorist Association.

Our North Carolina injury lawyers represent many clients who have been injured or killed in an accident with a speeding driver. While speeding remains the most social acceptable form of aggressive driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that speeding joins drunk driving as the two primary causes of serious and fatal traffic accidents. In fact, those two driving behaviors are involved in two-thirds of all traffic fatalities.

Of the 37,261 traffic fatalities reported in 2008, 11,773 involved drunk driving accidents and 11,674 were the result of motor vehicle accidents where speeding was listed as a primary factor.

The organization used Google searches for "speeding tickets" and "traffic tickets" to come up with its list of the states where the most speeding tickets are issued.

North Carolina has the eighth-highest number of tickets, after Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Texas, Alabama, Missouri and New York. The District of Columbia and New Jersey rounded out the top 10.

The state with the fewest number of tickets was Montana. Others at the bottom of the list included Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Alaska, Maine, West Virginia, Idaho, Nebraska, New Mexico and Oregon.

South Carolina ranked 19th.

Continue reading "Speeding a significant factor in many North Carolina car accidents" »

The trooper blamed for a fatal Jamestown, North Carolina car accident was not engaged in a pursuit at the time, a witness told the Raleigh Telegram.

The May 23 crash on I-85 killed a 55-year-old grandmother and an 11-year-old girl as their vehicle pulled into the path of a North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper driving a Dodge Charger. Two other children in the car were seriously injured but survived. The woman was attempting to make a left turn onto Business I-85 from the light at River Road. Published reports had indicated that the trooper was chasing a Buick Skylark that he had clocked doing 80 mph in a 55 mph zone.

The trooper was traveling at about 95 mph when he collided with the victim's vehicle, severing the Honda Accord.

The official version initially reported the trooper was chasing a Pontiac Grand Am before changing the make of the pursued vehicle to a Buick Skylark. Now a witness reports seeing no chase at all.

The witness reports he was traveling south on Business I-85 toward High Point when the trooper pulled out of the median and fell in behind him. The witness claims the trooper then accelerated around him, activated his emergency lights, and proceeded into the intersection, where he collided with the Honda.

We reported last month on our North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog that the patrol has issued new guidelines on police chases after several recent high-profile accidents involving troopers.

Continue reading "Witness contradicts chase reports in North Carolina car accident involving trooper" »

A 17-year-old Raleigh teenager has agreed to plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the wake of a North Carolina car accident that claimed the life of a friend, ABC News reported.

Our North Carolina injury lawyers continue to report the dangers our teenagers face while behind the wheel. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers ages 15 to 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2008, a total of 2,739 teen drivers were killed in car accidents nationwide.

North Carolina car accidents involving teenagers claimed 250 lives, while South Carolina car accidents involving young drivers killed 141 motorists. Our North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog has published a number of resources for parents who wish to speak with their teenagers about the risks they face on the road.

In this case, the North Carolina Highway Patrol reports the young driver was traveling 85 to 90 mph when he lost control of a 1996 Chevy Camaro on Puryear Road near the intersection of Marks Creek. The accident killed a 16-year-old passenger. The teens were on lunch break from East Wake High School at the time of the crash.

A judge sentenced the teenager to 10 days in jail and three years of probation.

Continue reading "Teen pleads guilty after North Carolina car accident claims life of friend " »

A North Carolina bus accident injured several members of a popular southern gospel group riding in a tour bus on I-85, Channel 18 reported.

The crash occurred when the group's bus crashed into the back of a semi on the I-85 bridge over the Catawba River, between Gaston and Mecklenburg. A dozen people were injured, including three singers in the Gospel group The Bowling Family. The chaotic scene included half-a-dozen ambulances, firefighters and paramedics.

Trucking accidents or accidents involving commercial buses are complex cases that should always be handled by a North Carolina injury lawyer. The presence of a large number of passengers, and the extreme weight of a semi or large bus, frequently leads to very serious or fatal injuries and multiple victims. Additionally, out-of-state busing or trucking companies, drivers and insurance companies make filing a claim a complex process. The presence of state and federal regulations governing truckers and commercial buses can also impact a case. A thorough investigation will need to be conducted to determine the cause of the accident, the number of claims involved, and the insurance coverage available.

In this case, two victims were flown to Carolinas Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Mike Bowling was one of those flown to the hospital; authorities said the force of the crash ejected the front passenger seat through the windshield with Bowling in it.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 380,000 crashes involved semis and large commercial trucks in 2008. A total of 4,229 people were killed and more than 90,000 were injured in trucking accidents nationwide.

North Carolina trucking accidents killed 143 motorists, while fatal South Carolina trucking accidents claimed 81 lives.

Continue reading "North Carolina bus accident injures popular Gospel group after crash with semi" »

The North Carolina car accident lawyers at The Law Offices of Lee & Smith wish each of you a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend and remind you to celebrate responsibly, don't drunk and drive, and stay safe on the road.

Traffic is expected to be heavy and troopers will be out in force on Carolina roads, the Charlotte Observer reported.

AAA Carolinas estimates 12 percent more travelers will hit the road this Fourth of July, than those who traveled to celebrate the holiday last year. Thousands of additional motorists on the road will increase the risk of traffic accidents. Last year, 20 fatal North Carolina car accidents were reported, while South Carolina car accidents claimed 16 lives over the Fourth of July holiday.

"Troopers will be looking for aggressive drivers, drunk drivers and other violators while patrolling throughout the state during the holiday week," said Col. Randy Glover, of the North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Thanksgiving and Fourth of July have been the two deadliest holidays on the nation's roads in recent years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Fatal holiday traffic accidents nationwide in 2008:

New Year's: 104

Memorial Day: 370

Fourth of July: 437

Labor Day: 423

Thanksgiving: 439

Christmas: 364

New Year's Eve: 37

Continue reading "North Carolina Injury attorneys urge motorists to stay save and enjoy the Fourth of July holiday" »

Authorities are expected to be out in force to reduce the risk of drunk driving car accidents in North Carolina and South Carolina over the long Fourth of July weekend.

While New Year's Eve gets all the attention, fatal accident statistics show that Fourth of July and Thanksgiving have become the deadliest holidays on the nation's roads, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Nationwide, the federal government reports that someone dies in a drunk driving accident every 45 minutes. Alcohol was involved in 500 of the 1,433 fatal North Carolina car accidents reported in 2008. South Carolina car accidents involving alcohol resulted in half of all traffic deaths in 2008 --463 of 920 fatal accidents.

The USA Today reported that North Carolina teenagers are at particularly high risk for driving accidents. More than 680 teenagers have been killed in the past four years, prompting the North Carolina Highway Patrol's Drive to Live 2010 program. The program provides parents with a driving agreement they can download and enter into with their teenage drivers.

While statistics show that Fourth of July was not the deadliest in North and South Carolina in 2008 (the last year for which statistics are available), drunk driving, heavy traffic and the long holiday weekend will increase the risk of being involved in a serious or fatal traffic accident.

The federal government's Safe Summer Driving Tips are available here.

Fatal 2008 Holiday Accidents

New Years: 104

Memorial Day: 370

Fourth of July: 437

Labor Day: 423

Thanksgiving: 439

Christmas: 364

New Year's Eve: 37

Fatal holiday car accidents in North Carolina in 2008

New Year's: 7

Memorial Day: 10

Fourth of July: 12

Labor Day: 15

Thanksgiving: 14

Christmas: 14

New Year's Eve: 2

Fatal holiday car accidents in South Carolina in 2008

New Year's: 1

Memorial Day: 8

Fourth of July: 9

Labor Day: 14

Thanksgiving: 14

Christmas: 9

Continue reading "North Carolina car accidents a concern over Fourth of July -- drunk driving to be targeted " »