North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog

During pregnancy, expecting mothers will often take extra precaution to ensure their personal health and the health of their fetus. Once that child is born, mothers will continue to take necessary steps to protect their newborn from harm. While mothers may take necessary steps in caring for their baby through birth, a new study suggests that mothers may be putting themselves and their infants at risk--from behind the wheel.

A new study that focuses on the relationship between new mother fatigue and drowsy driving indicates that new mothers pose a significant risk to themselves, their passengers, and others on the road. While additional studies will be conducted to qualify the effects of new mother sleeplessness, researchers have already found that many new mothers admit to distraction and fatigue while driving.

Our Charlotte car accidents attorneys are experienced in the investigation of cases involving negligence and fatigued drivers. It is widely accepted that fatigued driving can be dangerous for motorists and others sharing the road. Truck drivers are limited to a number of hours to prevent the dangers of fatigue. National public awareness campaigns have focused on the very severe dangers related to sleepy driving. Some research has indicated that drowsy or fatigued driving can be more dangerous than drinking and driving. In any case involving an accident, an investigation should be performed to determine whether that accident was caused by negligence or distraction.

New mothers are notoriously sleep-deprived. In addition to waking up in the middle of the night to feed newborns, they are rarely on a regular sleep schedule throughout the day. This can make it difficult to manage daily tasks as well as operate a vehicle. Researchers are looking to determine whether the disrupted sleep experienced by new mothers caring for an infant can impact driving abilities. In a preliminary study, they found that mothers who admitted to postpartum fatigue also confessed to making driving errors behind the wheel. This raises safety concerns by public officials and others promoting driver safety.

The new study sheds light on the relationship between new mothers and sleep-deprivation from birth through the first six months. According to research, distraction and lack of concentration affected mothers at many different stages, including the first six weeks, as well as 12, 18, or 24 weeks after birth.

If you are a new mother, remember that you may be distracted and lacking sleep. This can create a feeling of fatigue that could impact your reaction time and driving capabilities. In addition to slow reaction times related to fatigue, mothers also reported being distracted and an inability to concentrate while driving a vehicle. While every mother faces unique challenges after birth, it is important to remember that the lack of sleep and change in lifestyle could affect the ability to drive.

An additional study is following new mothers who have given birth in the past six months. The new participants will be asked about their sleep patterns, tendencies of fatigue and driving capabilities since the birth of their children.

Continue reading "New Mothers Prone to Drowsy, Distracted Driving?" »

It is not uncommon to see a dog perched in the passenger seat, sitting on the lap of a driver, or jumping around the back of an SUV. While pet owners may find it convenient or even fun to drive around with their animals, they may not realize the dangers posed by pet distractions. According to a new study, driving with pets is increasingly a cause of driver distraction and car accidents, especially among senior drivers.

Recent studies suggest that the crash rate for drivers over the age of 70 is higher for those who drive with their pets. The study was focused on evaluating the potential threat of driver distraction for elderly drivers with animals in the vehicle. Our Charlotte accident attorneys are committed to driver safety and are dedicated to helping the victims and families who have suffered because of driver distraction.

The risk of accident for drivers who always had their pets in the car doubles that of those who never had a pet in the vehicle. With evidence that distracted driving accounts for 10 percent of all U.S. highway fatalities, drivers and their loved ones should be aware of the risk before getting behind the wheel with an animal in the car.

A recent study found that elderly drivers are particularly vulnerable to the distraction of pets in a vehicle. They may not have adequate reaction time or suffer from other sensory deficiencies that can increase the likelihood of distraction and an accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released guidelines to minimize driver distraction, including avoiding the use of hand held devices and recommending that auto manufacturers avoid distracting dashboards. All of the guidelines focus on keeping driver attention on the road. As accident reconstructionists and experienced investigators know, even a few seconds of driver distraction can result in a deadly accident or catastrophic injury.

Pets pose dangers to drivers in a number of ways. They could demand too much attention, get in the way of the steering wheel, prevent changing gears or block a driver's view. Distracted driving accident rates increase with dangerous driver habits, including using cell phones, adjusting the radio, or driving with pets. Pets may not necessarily interfere with driving, but they may be distracting to their loving owners.

Statistics indicate that more than half of pet owners take their dogs or cats with them on occasion. With the high rate of accidents among distracted and elderly drivers, pets can create additional risk and burden. If you or someone you love was injured or suffered because of distracted driving you may be entitled to compensation. Our attorneys will investigate your case and take every necessary step to protect your interests. We are experienced with cases involving distracted and negligent driving and will pursue every opportunity to protect your rights.

If you or someone you love routinely drives with an animal, consider the risk of distracted driving. Taking a pet to the mall or on daily errands may not be worth the risk to the driver, passenger and other motorists on the road.

Continue reading "Pets Pose Distraction Risk for North Carolina Motorists" »

A Senate bill that could have tightened distracted driving laws in the state has taken a little longer than expected to make it through the legislature.

According to My Horry News, the bill (Senate Bill 186) was filed back in January by Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Myrtle Beach. What this bill was supposed to do was to make it a felony charge for drivers who cause a fatal accident because of driver distractions.

"Right now the highest incident of accidents or collisions are 18- to 25-year-olds," Rankin said. "Throw in a cell phone and it's even worse."

Our Charlotte car accident lawyers understand that distracted driving continues to be a serious problem in the area. Nationwide, there are thousands who are killed every year because of the irresponsible and distracted driving habits of others. According to distraction.gov, there were 3,331 people killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,267 in 2010. An additional, 387,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 416,000 injured in 2010.

Because the legislature is in the first year of a two-year cycle, bills not passed this session may be taken up when the General Assembly reconvenes in January 2014. If it doesn't make it though in 2014, it's going to have to be reintroduced.

Why hasn't it gotten anywhere? Even as debate stalls on this important piece of legislation, prosecutors have decided to drop all charges in the case of a fatal traffic accident in which this behavior was deemed a factor. There's no lesson to be learned there, and there's no deterrent when there are no penalties.

A truck driver was slapped with charges back in November after an accident that happened in March. In this accident, his semi allegedly slammed into an SUV and killed a 4-year-old passenger. According to Highway Patrol officers, the truck was going too fast for current weather conditions and the driver was using a cell phone at the wheel.

As it stands now, truck drivers are prohibited from using a cell phone behind the wheel. That's federal law.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using a cell phone behind the wheel in North Carolina. On the other hand, all drivers are banned from text messaging in the driver's seat.

Regardless, drivers should have their attention on the roadway at all times. There should never be a phone call or a text message that's worth risking someone's life. And this applies to any and all distractions. We're talking about eating, smoking, drinking, talking with other passengers and even applying makeup at the wheel. It's all dangerous and can be deadly. Keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road and your mind on driving.

Continue reading "Distracted Driving Bill Stalls in Carolina Legislature" »

Two brothers, ages 1 and 5, were killed recently in west Charlotte when a delivery truck driver allegedly struck them after making a wide turn at the intersection of W. Tyvola Road and Shady Lane.

Our Charlotte car accident attorneys understand that police believe distracted driving was to blame, and have charged the driver with a criminal misdemeanor. The boys had been walking with relatives to daycare that morning. The driver had been on his way to his first delivery in Rock Hill.

Witnesses say he was laughing as he made the turn, an indication, investigators say, that he was either involved in a conversation or distracted by a radio program or some other device.

Another recent North Carolina crash, this one in Asheville, was also said to have involved distraction. Investigators say a woman who was killed when her vehicle struck another on Interstate 40 was likely talking on her cell phone. Investigators said that officers found three cell phones in the vehicle - and two of those were open.

Clearly, these incidents just go to further illustrate what a huge problem distracted driving truly is in North Carolina, as well as throughout the country.

AAA reports that cell phone distractions while driving quadruple the risk of crashing, and it's believed to be a factor in some 8,000 crashes each day.

State law bars texting while driving, but a proposal that would have made talking on cell phones while driving illegal failed to pass the state legislature.

Cell phone and texting records are now routinely preserved in the event of a crash, to determine definitively whether distraction was a factor. That information can be used in future civil lawsuits.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued guidelines to auto manufacturers in the hopes of reducing distractions related to built-in electronic devices in vehicles. Those include devices used for communication, navigation and entertainment.

Secretary Ray LaHood said that while drivers do appreciate certain features in their vehicles, there must be a better balance with regard to safety.

As such, the Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's voluntary guidelines involve criteria such as ensuring that those devices don't require more than two seconds of attention to operate.

Additionally, the NHTSA says that certain features should be disabled while the vehicle is in motion. For example, manual text entry for text messaging and internet browsing should cease while the driver is in motion. Same thing with video-based communications or entertainment and the display for certain kinds of social media content, web pages and text messaging.

These recommendations are in line with the findings revealed in NHTSA's recent study, The Impact of Hand-Held and Hands-Free Cell Phone Use on Driving Performance and Safety Critical Event Risk.

While there are steps that auto manufacturers can do to limit driver distractions, it's ultimately up to the person behind the wheel.

Tragedies such as what happened recently in Charlotte and Asheville shouldn't be happening. We call them "accidents" in that no one intended for them to occur. However, that doesn't mean they aren't 100 percent preventable.

Continue reading "Fatal Charlotte Truck Accident Blamed on Distraction" »

When it comes to talking on a cell phone while driving, it is easy to see how dangerous it is to hold the phone in your hand as you talk. After all, your hands would need to be off the wheel as you dial the phone and as you chat away with the phone pressed up against your ear. To try to combat this danger of a person holding a cell phone while driving, many states have passed laws banning the use of a cell phone behind the wheel except when using a hands-free kit.

Our Greenville accident attorneys know that using hands-free devices is safer than using cell phones without them. However, this doesn't mean it is safe to talk on your cell phone all day as you drive. In fact, a recent White Paper published by the National Safety Council (NSC) indicates that talking on a cell phone is still dangerous even when you are using a hands-free kit. This is because the conversation you are having on the phone requires you to multi-task and to devote some of your energy and thought-process to something other than the road.

The Dangers of Cell Phones With a Hands-Free Device

According to the White paper published on the website of the NSC:

• Drivers on a hands-free device tend to look but not really to see or process the information they are seeing. A driver on a cell phone may miss as much as 50 percent of the information in his driving environment while he is talking.


• Human brains have only a limited capacity for attention and are not effective at multi-tasking. When you are talking on your cell phone, your brain focuses on the conversation and you miss important driving cues.


• Drivers who are talking on a cell phone will have a measurably slower reaction time when faced with potential hazards. When your brain has to switch its focus from the phone to reacting to a hazard, seconds of precious time can be lost as your brain switches between tasks.


• Drivers on cell phones have more difficulty staying in their lanes. Lane keeping, as it is called, becomes harder when you are focused on the phone instead of on the road.

For all of these reasons, driving while on a cell phone, even if it is hands free, can be dangerous. As your brain is concentrating on something besides driving, your ability to drive in a safe way suffers and you have a significantly greater chance of becoming involved in an accident. In fact, the White Paper indicates that having a cell phone conversation as you drive can result in an accident risk that is four times greater than the risk non-distracted drivers face.

Because of the dangers, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended that all 50 states and D.C. impose a complete ban on using portable electronic devices when driving, including using cell phones with hands-free devices. States have not yet complied with this requirement and instituted complete bans for adults, although many do have extensive restrictions or even outright bans on teen cell phone use while behind the wheel.

Continue reading "Are Hands-Free Devices the Answer to the Distracted Driving Problem?" »

On the website of the Better Business Bureau for Greensboro North Carolina, there is a page called Faces of Distracted Driving. This page contains videos and information about victims of distracted driving accidents who were seriously injured or who lost their lives as a result of crashes where a driver wasn't paying attention.

In some of the stories, the person who was killed was the driver who was distracted while in others the victim was an innocent third party who was hit by someone else focused on something other than road safety.

These stories are important and our Greensboro injury attorneys know that there are thousands more stories like them, involving tragic loss caused by distracted driving. Every driver should take a few minutes to think about the risks of driving while distracted. This month, the National Safety Council (NSC) is encouraging drivers to do just that.

April Is Distracted Driving Month
According to the National Safety Council, April of 2013 is being recognized as Distracted Driving Awareness Month . The goal is to take a close look at one of the most common sources of driver distraction- the cell phone- and to inform the public of how to protect themselves from cell phone accidents.

NSC offers a number of tips for drivers to avoid crashes including:

• Not using a cell phone while driving. The NSC even has a link to take a pledge promising to never use cell phones while driving, which everyone is encouraged to take. NSC indicates that while there may be many different types of distracting behavior, cell phones are the worst because the distraction goes on for such a long time and because so many drivers use phones as they drive.
• Telling others that you'll have to speak with them later if they call when you are driving
• Sharing information with others on the dangers of distracted driving.

For those who wish to learn more about the dangers of distracted driving, NSC has also included educational materials on its website as well. For example, they have information on the distracted brain, which illustrates how much of your cognitive function is taken up when you focus on something other than what you should be paying attention to (driving safely).

NSC also has a State of the Nation of Cell Phone Distracted Driving Report. This report shows how widespread the problem of distracted driving is. According to the report, for example, around 24 percent of accidents in 2010 involved the use of cell phones.

Unfortunately, even those who make the responsible choice to avoid distracted driving could still be involved in a crash related to cell phone use since so many people are talking on their phones as they drive. If this happens to you or to a loved one in your family, you may be able to take legal action against the distracted driver who caused you to become involved in a crash.

Continue reading "Distracted Driving Month: Are You Ready to Focus? " »

When you visit England or places in Europe, you may be a little bit scared of drivers driving on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to, or of aggressive drivers who seem to dart in-and-out of traffic. Although the UK and European roads may seem daunting, they are safer in one very important way when compared to the streets of the U.S.: there are a lot less people texting and driving.

Our Rock Hill accident attorneys know that texting and driving is incredibly dangerous, so much so that sending or receiving a text as you drive makes you 23 times more likely to get into a crash. Yet, despite the known dangers and despite extensive public education and bans in many states, many people continue to text and drive. A new study now confirmed that U.S. drivers are the worst when it comes to texting and driving, with far more drivers in the U.S. sending or receiving texts than those living in other countries.

Survey Shows Americans Most Likely to Text and Drive

According to a March 14, 2013 article on NBC news, a new government survey revealed that:

• Almost 69 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 admitted that they talked on their cell phone as they drove at least one time in the 30 days before taking the survey.


• Just 21 percent of drivers in Britain said that they had talked on their cell phone as they drove in the prior 30 days. Britain also had the lowest rate of people who text and drive than any other country surveyed.


• 40 percent of adults in France said they used their cell phones one or more times while driving in the prior 30 days. While this is more than Britain, it is considerably less than the 69 percent of Americans who chatted while driving.


• 31 percent of drivers in the U.S. admitted to texting and driving.


• Only 15 percent of drivers in Spain said that they had texted as they drove.

Researchers indicated surprise at some of the information obtained in the international texting and driving survey. One of the major puzzles presented by the data was the fact that there are universal laws throughout Europe on texting and driving that are very similar to each other, but that there are still major variations as far as how people behave towards the use of wireless devices as they drive.

In the United States, differences in behavior from state-to-state would be more expected than variations across Europe, since each state in the US can set its own texting and driving laws for within its borders. Around 33 states in the U.S. have imposed some restrictions on cell phone use and/or texting, at least for teen drivers, as compared with widespread bans throughout Europe.

Still, while numbers differed in Europe from place-to-place, there were always fewer Europeans admitting to texting or talking on cells while driving than there were Americans. As such, perhaps America should consider modeling Europe, and adopting the recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board, to impose a blanket ban on cell phone use and/or texting. Such a ban might reduce the number of distracted drivers and potentially save lives.

Continue reading "United States Is Number One for Texting and Driving" »

Authorities are blaming a rash of serious car accidents in North Carolina on careless and aggressive drivers who blatantly disregarded their own safety, as well as that of others.

Our North Carolina car accident lawyers are dismayed that we continue to see entirely preventable injuries and deaths caused because someone was simply in a hurry or not exercising proper precaution. Almost as upsetting as the tragic aftermath of these crashes is that they didn't have to happen.

In the first case, two women, ages 62 and 74, were killed on U.S. 41 after they were struck head-on by a tractor trailer log truck in Pender County around 3 p.m. A third person in the vehicle was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, while the truck driver was treated for minor injuries. The crash, which left the small car in a heap of mangled metal, tied up traffic for hours in both directions along the interstate. Driver distraction is believed to have been a factor.

In the second case, five people were hurt - one of those seriously - when two vehicles collided along N.C. 150 in Salisbury. Investigators said early indications were that the roads were slick with recent rain, and the vehicles were both traveling far too fast around a bend. Residents in the area say wrecks along that stretch are a common occurrence, with vehicles routinely ramming into fences, trees and mailboxes there.

In a third incident, two vehicles crashed on Highway 17 in Hamptstead earlier this month when one vehicle ran a red light and smashed into a vehicle that was making a turn at that intersection. Both drivers thankfully only suffered minor injuries, but the vehicles were both heavily damaged. The driver who ran the light was ticketed.

If we were somehow able to eliminate these kinds of very preventable behaviors behind the wheel, we would be able to significantly reduce the number of annual casualties on our roadways.

Let's take speeding, for example. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that it is a factor in a third of all fatal motor vehicle crashes, and its the third leading contributing factor to fatalities. Other fatal crash factors such as impaired driving and not buckling up have been significantly reduced. Not speeding. It claims some 13,000 lives each year, with economic costs totaling some $40 billion yearly. In fact, the NHTSA purports that every minute a driver "gains" by speeding actually costs society an estimated $76,000.

It's not only driving over the speed limit, but often driving too fast for the conditions of the road. So if it's rainy or snowy or foggy - slow down!

Speeding is also considered a form of aggressive driving, which could also be manifested through: tailgating, frequent lane changes and running red lights. Some of this, too, could be attributed to distractions.

In order to curb these tragic end results, the NHTSA recommends the following when behind the wheel:

• Concentrate and don't allow yourself to get distracted by texting, talking, eating, drinking or putting on makeup.


• Relax. Try putting on some low-key music or taking a few deep breaths.


• Map out alternate routes in case the one you are on is congested. Give yourself plenty of time so you won't feel pressured to speed.


• Just be late. It's better than never making it there at all.

Continue reading "Rash of North Carolina Car Accidents Caused by Careless, Aggressive Driving" »

Distracted driving is incredibly dangerous, with Distraction.gov reporting that driver inattention played a role in as many as 18 percent of injury-causing car wrecks in 2010. While talking on a cell phone or texting are the most risky and most well-known of the distracted driving behaviors, any type of distracted driving can be harmful.

Our Charlotte accident attorneys urge every driver to give his or her 100 percent focus to driving. It is important to remember that even looking away from the road for a second can have serious consequences, especially when driving fast or in crowded areas where there are lots of pedestrians.

Recent Pedestrian Accident Shows Consequences of Distracted Driving
On December 5, Fox News 8 reported that a distracted driving crash occurred in Graham, North Carolina. While distracted driving crashes happen regularly throughout the state, this distracted driving crash was a little different.

In this case, a school bus was stopped with its lights on and its stop arm out. An 8-year-old child was boarding the bus at 7 a.m. when he was hit by a car head-on. The impact of the crash caused the boy to flip over the entire length of the car. The driver of the vehicle involved in the head-on crash was reportedly not paying attention at the time when the accident occurred.

Fortunately, the young boy was not serious hurt, although he was shaken up by the incident. The 26-year-old driver who as involved in the distracted driving crash, however, was ticketed for careless driving and reckless driving as well as for passing a school bus. The driver faces fines and penalties as a result of the distracted driving accident. Had she caused serious injury, she could have also been subject to a lawsuit for her obvious negligent acts.

Distracted Driving Really is Dangerous
While the young boy hit by the car was very lucky in this particular accident, the behavior of the driver was still extremely risky and shows just how great the potential is for harm.

In this case, a large bus was stopped with flashing lights. As the car approached the bus, the bus even beeped its horn in order to get the attention of the driver. Still, an accident happened.

When a driver isn't paying attention, he or she can miss even obvious obstacles and even clear barriers on the roadways. Distracted driving accidents, therefore, can literally happen at any time and anywhere, no matter how obvious it is that there are other people or cars in the path of the vehicle. There was no indication that the driver in this case was on a cell phone either, so the accident also underscores the fact that any time a driver isn't paying attention, whether he is lost in thought, changing the radio station, grooming, eating, entering info into the GPS or doing any other type of behavior, the driver could potentially miss something big and hurt others.

In cases where drivers are clearly distracted and are cited for it, proving that these drivers were negligent is relatively straightforward and accident victims should not have a difficult time getting the compensation that is afforded under North Carolina law for serious injuries.

Continue reading "North Carolina Accident Lawyer Warns Distracted Driving Has Real Consequences" »

You might have seen the commercial, with the man suffering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) because of a text message. He was involved in a serious car accident because of a text message that read "Where r."

The commercial is a part of the "It Can Wait" campaign. It's put on by AT&T and it's working to get drivers to put down their cell phones behind the wheel.

Our Rock Hill car accident lawyers understand that there were more than 3,000 people killed in distracted driving car accidents in the U.S. in 2009. Hundreds of thousands more were injured. Too many drivers are taking their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel for text messages. When you text at the wheel, you're close to 25 percent more likely to get into an accident.

Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T, helped to first launch the "It Can Wait" campaign back in 2009. While this campaign is targeting drivers of all ages, it focuses its attention on teenage drivers. Younger drivers are more likely to text at the wheel than older drivers.

Stephenson is asking drivers across the nation to participate in the "No Text on Board -- Pledge Day." On September 19th, or any day before, you're urged to visit the campaign's website to make the pledge to stop texting at the wheel. This is a powerful pledge that can help to save lives.

According to recent polls, about 20 percent of all drivers admit that they text behind the wheel. More than 40 percent of teenage drivers say they do it!

AT&T isn't the only cell phone provider who is getting in on the anti-texting game either. Verizon and Sprint are also pushing these campaigns. Stephenson says he's not upset about his competitors joining. He says that any and all advocacy for this cause is welcome.

"If it's just AT&T owning this issue, it doesn't get the traction it needs," he said.

There are ways that you can work to keep the cell phone out of the driver's seat. It's actually quite simple. You should consider keeping your cell phone in your glove compartment or maybe in the back seat. Keep it out of sight and out of reach to reduce the tendency to use it. If you get a phone call or a text message that must be addressed, there are a few options. You can hand it to a passenger to handle or you can pull over to a safe spot and address it once you've stopped. You can also set up a voicemail message that alerts callers that you may not be answering your phone because you're currently driving. Let them know that you'll call them back as soon as you stop safely.

There's never a good reason to take your attention off of driving. Remember that no phone call and no text message is worth a human life.

Continue reading "Distracted Driving in Rock Hill: "It Can Wait" Targeting Texting Behind Wheel" »

April's an exciting month, especially for safe driving advocates nationwide! It's National Distracted Driving Awareness Month!

Every April, the National Safety Council takes the entire month to help raise awareness about the very real dangers associated with distracted driving and the risks for car accidents in Rock Hill and elsewhere.

During this entire month, the National Safety Council and our South Carolina injury attorneys are urging drivers to take the pledge to drive cell phone free.

Distracted driving is such a hot topic because every year thousands are killed in these kinds of completely preventable traffic accidents. As a matter of fact, there were roughly 3,000 people who were killed in distraction-related car accidents in the United States in 2010. Experts believe that one out of every four traffic accidents involves a cell phone-using driver. These are all accidents that didn't have to happen, accidents that were completely preventable, lives that we didn't have to lose.

The truth of the matter is that regardless of how long you've been behind the wheel, you're just not skilled enough to juggle the two tasks, using a cell phone and safely driving. It's true. The brain just isn't equipped to do both safely. There have been a number of studies conducted on the topic. Most recent studies have concluded that using a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle reduces the amount of brain activity that is associated with driving by more than 35 percent. Cell phone-using drivers aren't able to react to roadway dangers as well as those who are focused.

"We hope people will take the pledge this April to help prevent needless tragedies and keep our roadways safer," said Janet Froetscher of the National Safety Council.

Take The Pledge!

-Pledge to put away the cell phone and text messaging devices while driving.

-Speak up! If the driver of the vehicle you're in is engaging in distractions, talk to them. Urge them to keep their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel and their mind on the task of driving.

-Spread the message. Talk with friends and family members about the risks associated with distracted driving. Bring up the risks and fatal consequences that are associated with distracted driving. Urge everyone to take the pledge along with you.

Talking on a cell phone behind the wheel gives a driver the same reaction time as a driver who is legally drunk. Texting is even worse. When a driver texts as they drive their risks for an accident shoot up by more than 25 percent. The solution is simple. Curb distractions while driving. Continue on with the phone calls and the text messages once you've safely stopped the car. No text and no call is worth a life. Join us in celebrating National Distracted Driving Awareness Month!

Continue reading "Carolina Accident Lawyers Celebrate National Distracted Driving Awareness Month 2012" »

Chapel Hill Town Council is still working toward banning drivers from using cell phones while driving. Recently, the council voted 7-2 to schedule possible action this month. According to The Carrboro Citizen, council members Gene Pease and Matt Czajkowski cast the dissenting votes, saying that this kind of ban would be tough to enforce. In the state of North Carolina, the only drivers who are prohibited from using hand-held cell phones while driving are those who drive school buses and those under the age of 18, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). A full ban on cell phone use for all drivers would help to reduce the risks of distraction-related car accidents in North Carolina, as long as drivers obeyed the law.

Originally, the ordinance was created by Ralph Karpinos, the town's attorney. It would stop drivers from using cell phones or any of its technology such as music players, cameras and GPS applications while driving. Each violation would land a driver with a $25 fine. Under his draft of the ordinance, it was to be a secondary offense, meaning that an officer could cite a driver for this infraction only if the traffic stop was made for another illegal issue, such as speeding or running a red light.

Our North Carolina car accident attorneys understand that not all drivers would be banned under the proposed ordinance. Drivers who use a cell phone to communicate with emergency responders in the event of an emergency would be exempt. Drivers talking with parents, legal guardians, children or spouses would be exempt, too. Now how would you go about enforcing that? It's tough enough as it is trying to determine if a driver is composing a text message or dialing a phone number to call. Now we're going to expect officials to determine who a driver is talking to?

According to Karpinos, these exceptions were included to give the ordinance a better chance of being upheld if it were to be challenged. He also says that this ordinance could be pre-empted by state law.

"Attention needs to be on the road, not a telephone call or text message," said a resident of Asheville who knows firsthand the consequences of distracted driving. Her brother was killed in a distraction-related accident.

Council member Jim Ward said that although this kind of rule should ultimately be a national or state responsibility, there's no reason that Chapel Hill and other cities shouldn't take control and help to ease the dangers on our roadways. Ward supports even higher fines. He suggests a $100 fine for violators instead of the $25 fine written in the current proposal.

Council member Lee Storrow isn't supporting the phone a family member exemption though. He said it's no less dangerous to be talking to someone you know. If the activity is going to be banned for some, it needs to be banned for all.

Continue reading "Will New Ordinance Help Minimize Car Accidents in North Carolina?" »

According to a recent article posted on CNN.com, drivers throughout the country may be facing a nationwide ban on cell phone use while operating a vehicle following a recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) at a recent board meeting.

NTSB investigators spent countless hours determining that the 40 people affected by a multi-vehicle crash in 2010 could have been unharmed if a cell phone did not cause the driver to become distracted before the horrendous accident. The NTSB has slowly but successfully worked towards eliminating electronic devices through recommendations to implement state laws in order to reduce car accidents caused by distraction in Greensboro and throughout the country.

To date, the board has recommended a ban on cell phone use for school bus drivers, novice drivers, and commercial truck drivers, which has led to several states passing laws targeting one or all of these groups.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, there are a patchwork of laws directed towards eliminating the use of electronic devices which vary from state to state. Some states ban cell phone use completely while others allow talking but not texting. Some states categorize bans on cell phone use by age or occupation while others lay no groundwork for laws banning the unsafe behavior at all.

Car accident attorneys in Asheville, Winston-Salem, Charlotte or elsewhere understand that keeping up with current events has become vital in knowing what law pertains to which driver in each state. It has even become more difficult for law enforcement officials to enforce texting or talking bans in each state because it is nearly impossible to determine whether a driver is texting or dialing a phone number while they drive.

One thing is certain. Accidents caused by distractions are much more frequent today than they were 10 years ago and it isn't a stretch to link electronic devices to the cause of these distractions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that at minimum, almost 3,100 deaths occurred in 2010 that were related to distractions or cell phone use. Additionally, recent driver behavior studies have shown that 1 in every 100 drivers are emailing, texting or surfing the web at any given moment while operating a vehicle.

BlueRidgeNow.com reports that it is time for North Carolina lawmakers to see the big picture about the dangers of cell phone use and follow the recommendation to ban all electronic devices used by all automobile operators. Following a car accident, investigators are now asking for a driver's texting and cell phone records because they are finding that many accidents are being caused by this form of distraction. Drivers are continuing to multi-task behind the wheel because they don't get how unsafe the behavior is. It is up to the local, state and federal government to inflict consequences so severe that it will curb the unsafe behavior completely and save lives daily.

The National Safety Council's president and CEO recently commended the NTSB for recommending all cell phones be banned behind the wheel unless it is an absolute emergency. She states the national call for action must be addressed by legislators, employers and all drivers if we want to stop this public health threat from occurring daily on our nation's roadways.

North Carolina motorists need to consider for a moment that talking or using a cell phone while you drive is not a necessity but rather a convenience. No phone call or text message should take precedent over causing a crash or taking the life of another so put the phone down to avoid a distracted driving accident this holiday season and beyond.

Continue reading "Nationwide Cell Phone Ban Could Reduce Distracted Driving Accidents in Greensboro, Statewide" »

A little more than a year ago, a female teenage driver was killed in an Asheville distracted-driving accident because she was texting while driving. Her father now speaks out to teens about the dangers of texting and driving, and is one of the featured clips in the updated "Faces of Distracted Driving" series being promoted by the government.

Our Charlotte accident lawyers applaud the campaign's intent of getting the message out about the dangers of distracted driving and the consequences that come with this driving habit. Viewing personal and tragic stories like those in Faces of Distracted Driving pull on the heart strings, and may just the thing to make drivers think twice about risking an accident because of driver inattention.

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently released a new public service announcement (PSA) which is updating new faces and stories to the "Faces of Distracted Driving" series. The campaign has been viewed online more than 100,000 times since it began in November 2010. The PSA is a 30-second clip called "Get the Message," which features loved ones who have lost someone from a distracted-driving accident somewhere in the U.S.

Some of the featured tragic stories that can be found at Faces of Distracted Driving include:

-A 19-year-old was struck and killed on his bicycle by a distracted truck driver traveling at 60 mph.

-A 21-year-old male was riding with a co-worker who became distracted and failed to yield at a stop sign. The male passenger was killed within 24 hours of a tractor-trailer hitting the vehicle that failed to yield in the middle of oncoming traffic.

-A 21-year-old female pedestrian was killed by a distracted driver while she was crossing the street.

-A 17-year-old high school student was riding to school in her pickup truck when she crashed on a rural roadway because she was texting.

-Two teen drivers crashed in the middle of an intersection when one of the drivers was distracted by her cell phone while running a red light at 50 mph. The teen victim in the other vehicle died within 24 hours of the crash.

-A 58 year-old hiker was struck from behind and killed instantly by a vehicle traveling at 70 mph. The driver was texting at the time of the accident.

Unfortunately, these and many other tragic stories occur each and every day on roadways throughout the United States. If you have or someone you know has a story to tell or a message to voice, the U.S. Department of Transportation encourages families to post a message or video on YouTube and email the link to faces@distraction.gov.

No one wants to mourn the loss of someone killed in a distracted-driving accident in North Carolina or elsewhere. Make a commitment to drive distraction-free.

Continue reading "Personal Stories of Distracted Driving in Asheville Car Accident and Elsewhere Revealed in PSA Message" »

If you are a motorist who enjoys looking at beautifully colored leaves this time of year, you may want to think twice before you take your next autumn excursion. Enjoying the scenery by looking at trees during the fall is a form of distraction that can cause a serious car accident in Statesville, Hickory or elsewhere in the state.

GoBlueRidge.net reported three separate accidents over the weekend that authorities say were caused by leaf-lookers.

The first multiple-car crash happened Saturday afternoon near Flintlock Campground on NC Highway 105 when an idle vehicle was waiting for traffic to clear to make a turn and was rammed from behind. A third vehicle failed to stop and collided into a second vehicle. A few hours later, an identical type of crash involving three vehicles occurred near Mountain Lumber on NC 105. A domino effect caused all three vehicles to be involved in rear-end collisions. No one was seriously injured in either crash. A third crash involving two vehicles occurred Sunday afternoon, also on NC 105.

Gastonia car accident lawyers know that fall colors and the beauty that nature has to offer this time of year can be relaxing, but don't get so caught up in the distraction that you forget to focus on driving. Distracted driving accidents can be deadly and occur far too frequently on North Carolina roadways.

Another fall hazard that motorists should be on the lookout for that we posted about recently on our North Carolina Car Accident Lawyers Blog is the increased chances of hitting a deer in your path.

Two teens were recently killed in an accident caused by a young driver trying to avoid contact with a deer. MSNBC reports the driver tried to swerve to miss a deer and lost control of the vehicle. The Jeep the boys were riding in overturned, causing the driver and passenger to be thrown from the vehicle. No charges have been filed as of yet, but the case has been turned over to the Stanly County District Attorney's Office.

The Governor's Highway Safety Association offers these tips to eliminate distractions likely to cause serious injury or death in a crash:

-Put your phone on silence before you start the engine.

-Alert callers that you are driving by adding a message to your phone that indicates you will return their call later.

-Only answer or initiate a call after pulling over into a parking spot.

-If a passenger is riding with you, have him or her respond to a text message for you.

-Pledge to "X the Text." Never text or surf the internet while you are operating a vehicle, even if you are sitting at a stop sign or in traffic that isn't moving.

-Restrain your pets in the back seat so they don't become a distraction in your lap.

-If child passengers need attention, stop the vehicle in a safe location rather than turning around to address the situation while you are driving.

-Focusing on driving, rather than eating, reading, smoking or talking is the best way to keep you and other motorists safe.

Continue reading "Autumn Distractions Cause Risk for Car Accidents in Statesville, Statewide" »