North Carolina Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A Union County, North Carolina truck accident has claimed the lives of Fayetteville teen Mishawn Miller and Greensboro teen Arielle Parker, both age 18.The two incoming Wingate University freshmen were heading to a ropes challenge course on Saturday morning when, according to police, Miller failed to halt at a stop sign on Old Pageland Monroe Road. His vehicle was hit on the driver’s side by a grain truck.

Miller and Parker, who was sitting in the backseat, were killed instantly. Seriously injured in the North Carolina car accident was 18-year-old Charlotte resident Marcelle Louba, who was sitting behind Miller. 19-year-old Kendric Reid, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, sustained minor injuries. The teenagers were traveling in a caravan of other students who were taking part in an academic enrichment program for students about to begin their freshman year at the university.

The grain truck driver, 52-year-old Elberbe resident Carlon Watkins, also sustained minor injuries. The grain truck that he was driving had a similar dimension and weight as a dump truck.

According to neighbors in the area, although a flashing red light has been installed at the intersection where the Union County, North Carolina car accident happened, more needs to be done to prevent future traffic accidents. Visibility can be poor there, which can make it hard for motorists to see approaching vehicles. Some have even called for the installation of a traffic light. Although the Department of Transportation received a petition for a light that was signed by hundreds, it denied the request saying that not enough traffic traveled through the intersection.

There are steps that you can take to protecting your right to financial recovery for injuries sustained during a Wingate car accident.

Wingate To Hold Memorial For Students Killed In Crash, WSOCTV, August 16, 2010

2 incoming Wingate University freshmen killed in wreck, Charlotte Observer, August 15, 2010

Related Web Resources:
North Carolina Department of Transportation

Wingate University

Continue reading "Union County, North Carolina Car Accident Involving Grain Truck Kills Two Incoming Wingate University Students " »

A Lumberton man has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor death by vehicle in the Robeson County car accident that killed his passenger and another driver on July 5. The North Carolina motor vehicle collision occurred at a stop sign at the four-way intersection of Rennert Road and McQueen Road.

Heckel, 21, reportedly failed to stop at the stop sign and was driving at a speed of 35 miles per hour when his vehicle was hit by a pickup truck traveling at about 50 mph. The driver of the pickup truck, Fred Nelson Gibbs, was wearing a seatbelt at the time, but it malfunctioned and he was thrown from his vehicle. He died at the crash site from his injuries.

Also killed in the Lumberton car accident was Brittany Graybill from Clayton. The 20-year-old was Heckel’s girlfriend and a passenger in his vehicle. She was later pronounced dead at a Fayetteville hospital.

According to North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper R.D. Wright, who is investigating the case, it is not clear why Heckel did not yield the right of way. Wright does not believe that speeding, drugs, or alcohol were a factor.

North Carolina Car Accidents
Not only is failure to stop at a stop sign a traffic violation, but it can also lead to serious injuries or deaths. Most motorists responsible for causing traffic crashes never intended to become involved in any type of accident let alone cause North Carolina wrongful death or personal injury.

Clayton woman dies in accident in Robeson County, Clayton News-Star, July 12, 2010

Monday accident takes 2 lives, Robesonian.com, July 5, 2010

Related Web Resources:
North Carolina Department of Transportation

Accidents and Injuries, Nolo

Continue reading "Robeson County Car Accident Kills Two" »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to remind US motorists to drive safely during the summer driving season. Millions of Americans are expected to take to the roads over the next few months. To prevent these excursions or vacations from turning tragic, the NHTSA wants to remind motorists to:

• Avoid distracted driving, including texting or talking on a cell phone while behind a steering wheel.
• Stay up-to-date on auto maintenance.
• Make sure to inspect your tires and ensure that they are properly inflated.
• Obey the speed limit.
• Make sure everyone in the car is wearing an appropriate seat belt or child safety seat.
• Don’t leave children unattended near or in a vehicle.
• Don’t drive while exhausted or drowsy.
• Don’t drink and drive.

The NHTSA is reminding parents of teen drivers that there are preventive measures that they can take to prevent their teenagers from becoming involved in a deadly traffic crash this summer. Because many of them have more free time now that school is out, drivers in the 15 to 20 age group are at higher risk of being involved in an auto collision—already the leading cause of teenager deaths. The number of teen drunk driving fatalities are also known to go up during the summer months.

Our Charlotte, North Carolina car accident lawyers are committed to discouraging teens from driving drunk. Every year, we select a number of high school students as winners of the Michael A. DeMayo Scholarship Program. The recipients are selected based on their SAT scores, grades, community involvement, and original presentations that teach other kids about how dangerous it is to drive while under the influence. This year, winners each won a $2,500 college scholarship.

Teen driver risks in high gear over summer, USA Today, June 21, 2010

Consumer Advisory: Make Safety Your Constant Companion This Summer Driving Season, NHTSA, June 22, 2010

Related Web Resources:
North Carolina Department of Transportation

70 Rules of Defensive Driving, Road Trip America

Continue reading "Avoid Charlotte, North Carolina Car Accidents By Adhering to NHTSA Advisory on Safe Summer Driving " »

A number of people were injured on Thursday when their vehicles were struck by a driver who trying to avoid getting a citation for a traffic violation. Now, Christopher Cyr, 20, faces charges of careless and reckless driving, felony hit-and-run, driving without a license, felony fleeing to elude officers, possession of drug paraphernalia, and running a red light while allegedly causing several North Carolina car crashes.

At around 12:45pm yesterday, Durham Police Officer R. L. Green reportedly tried to stop Cyr, who was driving a 1996 Chevrolet pickup truck. The Raleigh resident drove into a Hog Heaven parking lot but then left as Green exited his police car.

Cyr then drove onto an Interstate 85 South entrance ramp where he hit a Toyota Camry. Police were not chasing Cyr when the Durham car crash happened. The Toyota’s driver sustained minor injuries.

Cyr entered the freeway, exiting through the Hillandale Road exit where he is accused of running a red light and crashing into a work van driven by Durham resident Matthew Furtick. The van then crashed into a 2001 Toyota Tacoma, driven by 63-year-old Burlington resident David Donovan, before going across the median and rolling over a Durham police car driven by Officer B. T. Francis.

Francis, Furtick, and Donovan were treated for injuries.

North Carolina Car Accidents
If you were injured in a North Carolina motor vehicle crash, it is important that you document as much as you can about what happened, including when and where the collision happened and who was involved. You should also obtain the contact information of the other motorists, as well as any witnesses.

Do NOT speak with the other party’s insurer without consulting with a Durham car accident law firm first. Many times, a negligent motorist’s insurance company will try to get you to settle your North Carolina motor vehicle claim before you even have an opportunity to find out about the extent of your injuries and damages, as well as how much your medical expenses, rehabilitation services, and lost wages will cost.

Man Fleeing From Traffic Stop Causes Five Accidents, DurhamCountyMyNC.com, January 14, 2010

Durham officer injured in chase, WRAL.com, January 14, 2010

Related Web Resources:
What to do after a car accident, MSN

NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles

Continue reading "Several People Injured in Durham Car Crashes Involving Driver Who Was Fleeing From Police " »

Following Friday’s winter storm, it is important that South Carolina and North Carolina motorists be extra careful when driving in such dangerous road conditions. Black ice can be found on city and county roads, as well as overpasses and bridges, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation and State Highway Patrol doesn’t expected the treacherous conditions to disappear.

Motorists cannot do anything to improve the road conditions or the weather, but they are still responsible for driving safely to and from their destinations. With such hazardous road conditions to contend with, drivers cannot afford to drive drunk, text while driving, talk on a handheld cellular device, speed, or engage in any other form of distracted driving or careless motor vehicle operation. One reckless or careless act can lead to a North Carolina car crash that can cause serious injury, perhaps even destroying someone’s life.

In the event that you or someone you love is seriously injured in a North Carolina car accident or a South Carolina motor vehicle collision, do not hesitate to contact our Charlotte, North Carolina auto crash lawyers to schedule your free consultation.

Driving Safely in Snow and Ice:

• Winterize your auto.
• When necessary, use tire chains or winter tires.
• Drive slower than you usually would and adjust your speed to the road conditions.
• Pay attention.
• When slowing down to stop or turn, do so three times earlier than your normal routine.
• Keep a safe distance with the vehicle in front of you.
• Make sure your windows are clean and clear.
• Be on the lookout for extra wet or icy patches on the road.

Snowstorm cleanup in the Carolinas, Count on News2, December 21, 2009

Icy roads, closed schools in western N.C., Charlotte Observer, December 20, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Preparing for Winter Driving – How to Drive in Snow and Ice, SafeMotorist

Winter Driving Tips, AAA Exchange

On December 4, the Governor's Highway Safety Program presented the “Tree of Life,” which is dedicated to the people that were killed in North Carolina car accidents in 2008. The tree stands on the State Capitol lawn in Raleigh and is decorated with 1,453 lights. 440 of the lights are red to note the people that were killed by drunk drivers.

Friday also marked the beginning of North Carolina's “Booze It & Lose It” campaign, which runs until January 3, 2010 and targets drunk drivers. Throughout the US this holiday season, federal and local safety and enforcement officials will be participating in similar initiatives to prevent drunk driving accidents.

On Monday, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood reminded drivers that there is nothing wrong with having fun as long as you don’t drive when you are drunk. While the national drunken driving rate dropped 7% between 2007 and 2008, too many people are still getting killed in drunk driving accidents.

Drunk driving accidents are preventable.

Nationwide, the drunk driving campaign "Over the Limit. Under Arrest” began yesterday and runs through the holiday season. Some $7 million in national radio and TV ads will air from December 16, 2009 – January 7, 2010 to remind people not to drive while impaired.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were:

• Out of the 1,231 North Carolina motor vehicle deaths in 2008, 423 of the North Carolina car accident victims died in collisions involving alcohol-impaired motorists.
• 1,676 North Carolina traffic deaths in 2007.
• 497 2007 North Carolina car accidents deaths involving drunk drivers.
• 403 South Carolina drunk driving fatalities in 2008.
• 920 2008 South Carolina car accident deaths.
• 403 South Carolina drunk driving fatalities in 2008.
• 464 South Carolina drunk driving fatalities in 2007.
• 1,077 2007 South Carolina car accident deaths.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Intensive Holiday Drunk & Impaired Driving Crackdown & Advertising Blitz, NHTSA, December 7, 2009

Drunken driving fatalities down 7% in USA, USA Today, December 7, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Fatalities and Fatality Rates in Alcohol- Impaired-Driving Crashes by State, 2007-2008, NHTSA (PDF)

Governor's Highway Safety Program

Continue reading "“Tree of Life” Remembers 1,453 North Carolina Car Accident Victims that Died in 2008 as State Troopers Get Ready for "Booze It & Lose It” Campaign" »

According to statistical projections provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for January – June 2009, about 16,626 people died in US traffic crashes. This figure is a 7% decline compared to the first half of last year when there were 17,871 traffic deaths.

Meantime, the Federal Highway Administration is reporting that the number of vehicle miles traveled for this time period went down compared to last year by approximately 6.1 billion miles. The fatality rate for the first six months also went down from 1.23 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2008 to 1.15 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2009.

While any decline in the number of traffic deaths is always positive news, there are still many people who are dying or getting hurt in motor vehicle accidents.

At around 12:45 am on Monday, 22-year-old Claudia Gonzales sustained fatal injuries when driver Victor Manuel Pena lost control of the 1996 Mazda A3S they were riding. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police say the car went off the road, struck a power pole and crosswalk signal, and rolled over a number of times.

Gonzales, who was partially thrown from the vehicle during the Charlotte car accident, was trapped under the vehicle. She was pronounced dead while at Carolinas Medical Center.

Pena, who was treated for his injuries at the same hospital, faces felony death by vehicle and driving while intoxicated charges. This would not be the 25-year-old motorist's first drunk driving offense.

In a few weeks, Pena is scheduled to be tried for DWI over an incident in Union County, North Carolina.

Last month, 18-year-old Logan Stroud died in a Kannapolis car accident when another vehicle struck his Chevy S10 pickup truck on the driver’s side. His truck rolled down an embankment close to the intersection of Kannapolis Parkway and Highway 73. Police are dealing with conflicting reports over who had the green light.

Throughout South Carolina and North Carolina, our Charlotte car accident lawyers represent injury victims and their families.

Police: Witness drove away from fatal wreck, WCNC, September 25, 2009

DWI suspect faces similar charge in Union, Charlotte Observer, October 6, 2009

Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities for the First Half of 2009, NHTSA, October 2009 (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
Federal Highway Administration

North Carolina Department of Transportation

Earlier this week, our North Carolina car accident lawyers posted a story about a ballet dancer who died from injuries she sustained in a Raleigh auto collision because Wake County doctor Raymond Cook ran a red light.

Elena Bright Shapiro was 20. Cook, who was allegedly drunk when the deadly North Carolina car accident happened, is charged with second-degree murder over the Raleigh traffic crash.

On Saturday, a Raleigh red light running crash claimed another life when Asheville resident James Howard Early failed to stop his vehicle as is required by law and ran into the vehicle that 28-year-old Christopher Raynor was riding in at the intersection of Westgate and Lumley roads early in the morning.

Raynor was scheduled to get married later that day. He and his groomsmen were going to breakfast together when the deadly Raleigh car accident happened.

Because Raynor wasn’t wearing a seat belt, he was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. His body was then struck by another motor vehicle.

Police have charged Early with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and a red light violation.

Both Raynor and Shapiro were in the prime of their lives that ended suddenly because other people were allegedly negligent. It is hard enough to lose someone you love for any reason. It can be even harder to cope with that loss when you believe that your loved one would be alive today if only another party hadn’t behaved recklessly or carelessly.

Filing a Raleigh car accident claim won’t bring your loved one back, but it can help you obtain the compensation that you are owed for your loss. Obtaining Raleigh wrongful death recovery can help cover some of the financial costs that can result from losing a family member, including hospital bills, funeral expenses, income loss, and other losses.

Family, friends remember groom killed on wedding day, 2nct.com, September 17, 2009

Memorial planned for groom killed on wedding day, WRAL, September 15, 2009

Related Web Resource:
The National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running