North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog

Several national safety organizations are inviting teenagers to submit public-service announcements warning other young drivers of the dangers of distraction behind the wheel.

Our personal injury lawyers in Asheville and elsewhere understand the risk of distracted driving -- particularly when it comes to teens. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 16 percent of all fatal crashes are caused by distraction and teenagers are most likely to take their eyes off the road while behind the wheel.

"A quarter of all teens admit to texting behind the wheel and, in 2009, the highest proportion of distracted drivers in fatal crashes was under the age of 20," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "We know we have to engage teens in order to put an end to distracted driving. With their help, we can educate teens and adults about making smarter choices that will save lives."

The "JST DRV" content is being sponsored by the National Road Safety Foundation and National Student Safety Program. Teens ages 14 to 18 are invited to submit a 15- or 30-second radio commercial. The winning announcement will be broadcast nationwide during National Youth Traffic Safety Month in May.

The winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship and a trip to Honolulu for the NSSP national youth conference this summer. Three runners-up will each receive a $500 scholarship and a Bluetooth device.

Contest deadline is March 25. Those wanting more information can visit www.nrsf.org or www.adtsea.org/nssp.

"The JST DRV Radio PSA Contest hopes to engage young people in communicating important messages about distracted driving in their own voice," said Michelle Anderson, operations director of the National Road Safety Foundation.

Continue reading "Teen contest aims to reduce risk of North Carolina car accidents caused by distracted driving" »

The "Drive to Live" program continues to urge teens not to drink and drive -- a leading cause of car accidents in North Carolina and elsewhere in the nation.

Our personal injury lawyers in Hickory and Statesville understand the risks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration continues to report that car accidents are the leading cause of death for all teenagers ages 15 to 20. In 40 percent of those cases, alcohol was involved.

Somewhere in America, a teenagers in involved in a serious or fatal car accident every half hour.

Drinking and driving facts:

-Alcohol consumption in the United States averages 2.5 gallons of liquor, 3 gallons of wine and 33 gallons of beer, per person per year.

-Impaired drivers often kill themselves, but most often kill an innocent motorist.

-Each year, the North Carolina Highway Patrol arrests more than 2,000 impaired drivers under the age of 20.

-An arrest for underage purchase, possession or consumption of an alcoholic beverage is punishable by a minimum of 30 days in jail on a first offense.

Teens are encouraged to:

-Notify police of suspected drunk drivers.

-Join SADD or other peer groups.

-Remind peers of tragedies associated with alcohol or drug use.

-Enter into teen-driving agreements with parents.

-Don't ride with a driver who has been drinking.

-Minimize nighttime driving.

-Always wear your seat belt.

Continue reading "Drinking and driving a leading cause of North Carolina car accidents among teenagers" »

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is reminding motorists about its Incident Management Assistance Patrol (IMAP) program, which is designed to assist stranded motorists and reduce the risk of North Carolina car accidents.

Our car accident lawyers in Charlotte, Raleigh and throughout the state urge motorists to use this system in the event of a breakdown or other roadside emergency. A surprising number of people are seriously injured or killed in an accident that occurs while they are tending to a disabled vehicle at the side of the road.

The yellow IMAP trucks have large lighted arrows and cruise North Carolina interstates and major highways, assisting stranded motorists and helping law enforcement manage accident scenes.

"Our Incident Management Assistance Patrol is a key component of NCDOT's comprehensive approach to improving travel throughout North Carolina," Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett said. "They are dedicated, hard-working people who help keep motorists moving and our highways safe."

Often referred to as "angels" or "Good Samaritans," the team consists of about 70 drivers and 20 supervisors.

"Just about everywhere you go in North Carolina, IMAP goes," said Sam Whittington, the IMAP supervisor for the Triad region. "We are there to help. Someone once told us we were better than sliced bread."

The team changes tire, herds cattle and does whatever else is necessary to assist motorists in getting to where they are going in as safe a manner as possible.

"You help thousands of people," said Bill Chandler, an IMPA driver in Buncombe County. "I helped fix a flat for a bus from a church in Missouri which was going to a conference in Greensboro. They called me their angel."

Continue reading "IMAP program assists stranded motorists, helps reduce risk of North Carolina car accident" »

Our Carolina personal injury attorneys know that Fatal car accidents remain the No. 1 leading cause of death for American teens today. Ford Driving Skills for Life reports that nearly 5,000 teens die each year on U.S. roads. In a effort to decrease fatalities among teen motorists, Ford Motor Company teamed up with the Governors Highway Safety Association in 2003 to develop a mobile program targeting teen driver safety and education.

This year, Ford Motor Company has invested an additional $1 million in their free, curbside, driving-skills program. The goal is to reach out to 30 high schools in 15 states with on-site instruction geared toward helping teen drivers build better driving skills. In 2011, a high school in Raleigh/Durham, N.C. is among the schools that will host the Driving Skills for Life program, as authorities work to reduce the risk of Carolina car accidents among young people.

Research conducted by this partnership determined that in 60 percent of teen-driver related car accidents, four key areas played a consistent contributing role in traffic crashes involving this age group. The DSFL program offers hands-on events, lesson plans and online interactive programs and videos that focus on sharpening critical skills, including:

~ HAZARD RECOGNITION: where students learn to minimize distractions, scan for trouble, establish safety zones and practice approaching and turning left at intersections.

~ VEHICLE HANDLING: where students learn how braking, accelerating, turning and slowing down affect vehicle balance.

~ SPEED MANAGEMENT: where students learn how to recover from skids and how to determine safe driving speed for road, traffic and environmental conditions.

~ SPACE MANAGEMENT: where students learn how to avoid being rear-ended or involved in a head-on collision by determining safe traveling distance between vehicles.

The GHSA reports that the 16-year-old drivers are 10 times more likely to be involved in a traffic crash than drivers aged 30 to 59. That inexperience and immaturity often mean teen drivers are more likely to engage in risk-taking behavior (such as drinking and driving or speeding), which increases the risk that a teen driver will be involved in a serious or fatal car accident. Because of this, GHSA supports the implementation of Graduated Driver Licensing laws that requires drivers to gradually expand their driving privileges over time.

According to the GHSA, both North Carolina and South Carolina have enacted GDL laws that require younger drivers to complete learner and intermediate driver phases, including nighttime driving and passenger load restrictions, before becoming eligible for full driving privileges. Only South Carolina requires inexperienced drivers complete a schedule of supervised nighttime driving hours.

Continue reading "Program at Raleigh/Durham high school aims to reduce Carolina car accidents among teenagers" »

A recent study by the U.S. Department of Transportation concerning incidents of unintended acceleration in a handful of Toyota models - which in 2009 and 2010 led to the recall of nearly 8 million vehicles in the U.S. alone - revealed it was a mechanical/design flaw that allegedly led to a spate of high-speed serious and fatal car accidents.

To date, pedal sticking and pedal entrapment are the only known causes linked to unintended high-speed crashes. Our Charlotte car accident attorneys know that the automaker has paid out more than $48.8 million in civil penalties to the U.S. government for its initial handling of the recalls.

The 10-month Congress-requested review led the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to partner with NASA engineers who found no electronic flaws were responsible for the acceleration issue. With that said, NASA engineers determined it was two mechanical safety defects - a "sticking" accelerator pedal, and a design flaw that led to pedal floor-mat entrapment - that caused numerous unintended acceleration incidents.

During the course of the investigation, NASA reviewed more than 280,000 lines of software code in nine Toyota models tied to the unintended acceleration complaint. The Pioneer Press reports that the NHTSA has received about 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration - including 93 deaths alleged to be linked to the defect - from Toyota drivers during the last decade.

According to the NHTSA, a preliminary investigation into pedal entrapment began in late March 2007 after five consumer complaints were filed regarding three crashes involving the Lexus E350. In each crash a pedal-linked issue was the primary consumer complaint. In July of that year, a 2007 Camry was involved in a similar high-speed fatal crash.

Accident report analysis of each crash identified floor mat entrapment as possibly contributing to the car accidents. In response, in September 2007, Toyota issued 55,000 floor mat recalls for the Lexus E350 and the Toyota Camry. Another fatal car accident believed to be linked to the E350/floor mat entrapment issue in 2009 led Toyota to recall 3.8 million vehicles. In 2010, another 3.4 million Toyota vehicles were recalled due to a sticky pedal defect.

In an effort to assist Toyota owners whose vehicles are under recall, the company in both North Carolina and South Carolina has provided a list of dealerships.

Continue reading "Defective vehicles increase risk of North Carolina car accidents" »

As our Carolina personal injury attorneys have reported in an earlier post to our North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog, teen drivers in North and South Carolina were involved in 391 fatal car accidents across both states in 2008.

Drivers aged 15 to 19 are also far more likely to be linked to serious or fatal Carolina car accidents where driver distraction is a factor. And car accidents are the leading cause of death for all teens.

Just last week, WISTV-10 reports that an 18-year-old driver struck and killed a 67-year-old man and his 37-year-old daughter as the pair were pushing a stroller carrying the woman's 1-year-old son, who was critically injured in the crash. The driver later told authorities she was reaching for a dropped cell phone when the fatal southwest Charlotte car accident occurred. She has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle, with additional charges pending.

With that said, a recent article in Health News Digest reports that nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities linked to teen driver car accidents involve victims other than the teen or their occupants. In 2008, 681,000 motorists were involved in car accidents involving teen drivers nationwide. In short: teaching teens good driving skills isn't just a family driver-safety issue; it's a community driver-safety issue.

According to HND there are four key factors that consistently play a role in serious or fatal car accidents among teens: speeding, alcohol use, distracted driving, and not wearing seat belts. Research indicated that more than half of teens killed in car accidents were both speeding at the time of the crash and not buckled up. Another 40 percent tested positive for alcohol and 16 percent were distracted.

Driver distraction was linked to 1.2 percent of all North Carolina traffic crashes - or about 2,150 car accidents - in 2008, the North Carolina Department of Transportation reports. Speeding was the leading violation cited in fatal car accidents. Drivers aged 19 and younger were linked to 188 fatal North Carolina car accidents that left 14,860 injured.

In South Carolina, the department of public safety reports a teen driver was involved in a serious or fatal South Carolina car accident every 1.3 hours of 2008. As in North Carolina, speeding was the most common contributing factor in statewide car accidents. Drivers aged 19 and younger were involved in 118 fatal South Carolina car accidents that left 6,690 injured in 2008.

Continue reading "Teen-driver inexperience increases risk of Carolina car accidents for all motorists" »

Certainly our Greenville personal injury lawyers often report on the serious and fatal car and truck accidents caused by all types of poor driving behavior, including speeding, drunk driving and distracted driving.

But we really must take a moment to salute Hubert Crisp Jr., of Greenville, who has spent the last 40 years navigating his big brown truck without a single Carolina traffic accident.

The Greenville News reports it is good enough to tie Crisp for sixth-best of UPS's 102,000 drivers. He is one of the company's 22 elite drivers in South Carolina.

Accidents involving large trucks are especially hazardous to Carolina motorists.

The Business Journal reported that 11 drivers in the Triad were honored, putting them among 54 elite drivers in North Carolina.

"UPS puts a premium on safe-driving methods and training, and these drivers represent the best of the industry," said Dow Dameron, president and chief operating officer, UPS South Atlantic District. "I'm very proud of these men and women. To go at least a quarter-of-a-century without an accident is a testament to the effectiveness of that training and to the pride our people take in their jobs."

Continue reading "UPS drivers honored for quarter-century without a Carolina truck accident" »

Fox News is reporting that a Mooresville, North Carolina car accident involving Waltrip Racing driver Michael Annett was the driver's second car accident in less than a year.

Annett was charged with DWI, texting while driving and resisting police after a North Carolina car accident seven months ago. He was cited again Sunday after telling police he was texting while driving and didn't look up in time to stop.

Our personal injury lawyers in Mooresville, Charlotte and throughout the Carolinas frequently handle cases caused by distracted driving. As we reported recently on our North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers Blog, North Carolina has made it illegal to text while driving. There is no such law in South Carolina.

The media is reporting Annett told authorities he was on his cell phone at the time of the first crash last July. After the crash this weekend, Annett's blood-alcohol level was allegedly .32 -- four times the legal limit of .08.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports an estimated 5,000 people are killed each year and 500,000 are injured in accidents caused by distracted driving. Drunk driving claims 1 in every 3 lives lost on the road -- or more than 10,000 lives each year.

Continue reading "NASCAR driver accused of two distracted-driving car accidents in North Carolina" »

A third of all motor vehicle fatalities in 2009 were because of an alcohol impaired driver. Recently in Charlotte, WCNC reported yet another drunk driving accident that caused severe damage in a small community. The alcohol-impaired driver of the SUV crashed into a parked van in the driveway, hit a tree, and smashed into a transformer before being pulled out of his burning vehicle by a neighbor.

The Charlotte drunk driving accident caused 30 families to be without power, but thankfully caused no loss of life.

Our Carolina personal injury attorneys are disturbed by senseless accidents like these when they could be prevented by drivers not getting behind the wheel after having a few drinks.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that alcohol was a factor in 33% of fatal North Carolina motor vehicle crashes, leading to 430 motorists being killed in a drunk driving crash last year. South Carolina reported 47% of crashes in which the driver was alcohol impaired, resulting in 423 fatalities.

The government is hopeful the introduction of new technology could lead to fewer drunk driving accidents in the future. Recently, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Administrator David Strickland viewed the new Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS).

Still in the development stages, the new technology could eventually come standard in vehicles to detect blood alcohol concentration and prevent the drivers from driving under the influence. This is being evaluated two ways; either by a breath-based or touch-based approach.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving President Laura Dean-Mooney, also present at the unveiling, welcomed the progress of the DADSS research effort, saying, "Auto makers have stepped up to help turn cars into the cure. This project has made substantial progress and this technology could one day be an important step in our efforts to eliminate drunk driving."

The DADSS is a $10 million project supported by the NHTSA and Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety and is expected to be a 5 year development plan. The next stage, slated to start later this year, will include practical demonstrations or one or more of the technologies.

"Whatever the future holds for these advanced drunk driving prevention technologies, one thing remains clear; no technology can, or should, ever replace a driver's personal responsibility not to drive drunk," said NHTSA Administrator Strickland.

Using a common sense approach is the best defense against drunk driving accidents. Simply put, don't get behind the wheel if you have been drinking.

Continue reading "Technology could prevent drunk driving car accidents in North Carolina" »

A 40-year-old trucker from Arkansas pled guilty to reckless and careless driving and to misdemeanor death by motor vehicle charges in a Guilford County courtroom last week, the Greensboro News & Record reports.

The charges stem from a May 9 fatal Greensboro car accident involving her tractor-trailer and a passenger car carrying three brothers and their mother. Two of the boys died from their injuries. The trucker admitted to law enforcement at the scene she had been on her cell phone at the time of the crash, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.

As our injury attorneys in Rock Hill have noted in a prior post to our North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog, two-thirds of motorists surveyed recently said they would support a complete ban of cell phone use by drivers.

The driver was, among other things, ordered to pay a $750 fine. She also has had her license suspended for 18 months and received a 75-day (suspended) jail sentence. She is further required to perform various community service acts and participate in public-speaking and distracted driving awareness efforts.

For the father of the two boys killed in this tragic Carolina car accident, justice is far from served. Since shortly after the crash, he has been pushing state lawmakers to advance legislation that bans all cell phone use for North Carolina drivers. As of the sentencing, he says he will now focus his efforts on stiffening penalties for distracted drivers who cause serious or fatal car accidents.

In 2008, tractor-trailers were involved in 3,840 reported North Carolina car accidents. Of those, 67 were fatal and 1,128 left motorists injured, the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles reports. Distracted driving alone was tied to 2,604 car accidents across the state in 2008. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, tractor-trailers were involved in more than 3,300 car accidents that left 55 dead and 1,136 injured. Driver distraction across the state was linked to 16 fatalities and 2,422 injuries.

Continue reading "Semi driver pleads guilty in fatal Greensboro tractor-trailer accident" »

Our injury lawyers in Charlotte know that no matter which two teams face-off in the Super Bowl, the game will be among the most watched and celebrated television events of the year. Wikipedia tags Super Bowl Sunday "a de facto American national holiday".

At 106.5 million viewers, last year's Saints-v-Colts match-up became the most watched program in history. Super Bowl XLIV viewership toppled the longstanding title-holder, the final episode of M*A*S*H - earned in 1983 - by nearly a million viewers. In short: that's a lot of party dip, folks.

Considering this, our Spartanburg car accident attorneys remind partygoers and party hosts to include a designated driver in their party planning efforts. Again this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has partnered with the NFL and a number of other businesses and organizations (Mothers Against Drunk Driving among them) to promote their traffic safety message: "Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk".

NHTSA administrator David Strickland said while football may be one of America's favorite pastimes, "fans can put themselves in serious danger if they don't plan ahead. Whether you're at the game or watching from a sports bar or a friend's house, designate a sober driver before the game. And remember, Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk."

According to the University of Delaware, Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most dangerous days of the year to be on the road. Of particular concern on this "holiday" are young male drivers aged 21 to 34. Traffic accident statistics indicate drivers in this category are least likely to buckle-up, most likely to crash, and most likely to drive when they shouldn't, especially on game day.

With that in mind, if you're throwing a party or going to one, keep these sober driving safety tips in mind for all your guests. Have a sober ride plan in play before you get - or let some else get - behind the wheel when remaining post-game parked is a better idea.

If you are hosting a party:
~ YOU can be held liable and criminally responsible if one of your guests leaves your party intoxicated and is involved in a car accident. Designating a sober driver in advance of game day can resolve this liability and potentially save lives.

~ Serve plenty of food and drinks without alcohol. Stop serving alcohol during the third quarter.

~ Have cab companies on speed dial. Investigate local "tow-and-go" initiatives. Confiscate keys.

If you are attending a party:
~ Slow down your volume of consumption by alternating alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic drinks. Snack frequently.

Bottom line: if you are host, it's your job to take the keys from a partygoer who is too intoxicated to drive. If you are a guest, and you think someone shouldn't drive - speak up. As the NFL says: "Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk".

Continue reading "North Carolina car accidents always a risk on Super Bowl Sunday" »

North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety offers driving safety tips for teen drivers. The young driver age group (15-20 years-old) is most at risk of a Carolina automobile accident, so establishing safe driving habits is an important step toward helping keep your young driver safe behind the wheel.

In a previous blog we were reminded of the dangers teens face behind the wheel when a young driver from Clayton was fatally injured after losing control of his truck. A similar article in Newsobserver reported the teen was driving at a speed of 70 mph and had just passed the friend he was following when he lost control and started swerving.

The victim was not wearing a seatbelt when the accident occurred and was fatally injured after being partially ejected.

North Carolina Department of Crime Control & Public Safety recommends the following teenage driving tips to young drivers:

-North Carolina law requires drivers to move over when approaching emergency vehicles with blinking lights - slow down, and safely slide over to the next lane.

-Consideration goes a long way on the roadways. Allow drivers to merge when entering the roadway from a ramp or when signaling to gain access in front of you.

-Leave a 3-second cushion between you and the vehicle in front of you when traveling at high speeds. Following too closely leaves you at high risk for an accident to occur.

- Always use turn signals and turn your head to look over your shoulder before changing lanes or merging into traffic.

- Stay alert for animals or debris darting in front of you. Failure to remain in control of your vehicle when either stopping or swerving to avoid the obstacle can result in a serious accident.

- Running red-lights or stop signs is a likely way of causing an accident. Only proceed through an intersection if you have a green light or have stopped at the sign and looked both ways.

- Teen drivers should limit the time they drive with their friends in the car. North Carolina law only allows one occupant to ride in a car with a teen driver.

-Decrease the number of distractions to reduce the risk of a crash. Eliminate unnecessary distractions like eating in your car, operating a GPS, or using a cell phone while you are driving so that your focus is always on the road and driving.

-Speed is one of the leading causes of teen accidents. Allow plenty of time so that speeding is a non-issue. Exercise greater caution in inclement weather by slowing down.

-Driving under the influence, especially when underage, is wrong on every level so refuse the temptation. The consequences of drinking and driving far outweigh any temptation you can imagine.

-North Carolina requires the use of seat belts in vehicles. Failure to comply has legal and financial ramifications, not to mention will significantly increase your chance of injury in an accident.

Continue reading "Teen driving safety tips can help prevent North Carolina car accidents" »