Whether it be poor decision making, distraction, excessive speeds, driver errors, novice drivers, sleepy drivers, or intoxicated drivers, North Carolina is no stranger to vehicular accidents that occur frequently in this great state. Thankfully, we’re going to cover some of the more popular accidents that many find themselves in on the open road.
Speeding Accidents
One out of every three accidents in North Carolina is related to speeding, which also contributes to one out of every five vehicular accident deaths (according to N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles data). Whenever individuals drive recklessly above speed limits or drive too fast in conditions such as fog, ice, rain, snow, or other situations in which visibility is hindered, accidents frequently occur.
According to DMV data, over 10,000 individuals suffered injuries due to speeding-related wrecks in fairly recent years. In the event individuals have been injured due to a driver who was driving aggressively or speeding, they retain the right to find an injury lawyer who can attain compensation for lost wages, vehicle damage, and medical expenses. In the event of a fatal crash, the family of the victim might be capable of pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit.
Driving Distracted
Any sort of exchange that can take a driver’s attention off of driving, make them take their hands off of the wheel, or make them take their eyes off of the road is known as distracted driving. Other distractions can include texting, taking a phone call, daydreaming, speaking with passengers, handling pets, grooming, adjusting electronics or radios, utilizing a navigation device, drinking, or eating.
It should be noted that in the event a driver is utilizing a phone (whether they text or talk while driving), it poses a significantly higher risk of being involved in an accident. In North Carolina, distracted drivers make up more than twenty percent of all accidents in the state (according to recent data).
As distractions generally need a driver to tell the truth about why they got involved in an accident, the actual statistics of distracted drivers are likely to be under reported – and occur much more frequently.
Failing To Yield
Believe it or not, many accidents happen due to drivers disregarding traffic lights and traffic signals. By proceeding through a lane or intersection without following common driving protocol, this leaves drivers who have the right of way extremely vulnerable to accidents.
Driving Aggressively
Aggressive behavior on the road such as running red lights, tailgating, making lane changes without warning, passing cars illegal, or speeding all significantly increase the possibility of an accident. Going beyond harming yourself, aggressive driving puts everyone on the road in danger. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) states that aggressive driving is a series of moving traffic offenses that endanger other property and persons. Contributing to thousands of accidents in North Carolina, the state has enacted special laws to punish such negligent drivers and hold them accountable for their actions.
Driving While Intoxicated
Driving while intoxicated causes many accidents that otherwise could’ve been prevented in the first place. Legally, if an individual has a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of .08 (or .04 if a commercial driver), he is unfit to drive. Given one’s alcohol tolerance, a person may even have a lower BAC when being intoxicated. According to North Carolina statistics, intoxicated driving was responsible for over 11,000 accidents in 2018. To make matters worse, out of this figure 7,600 of these accidents resulted in injuries and 411 individuals died due to an intoxicated driver.
Driving While Drowsy
When drivers attempt to disregard physical fatigue or exhaustion, it puts them and other drivers in danger. Such drowsy drivers have slower reaction times and have more difficulty concentrating on the road ahead. An accident involving an individual who is drowsy is not uncommon in North Carolina, which is why it must be brought up in conversation.
Inexperienced Drivers
When behind the wheel, experience does matter. In the event a driver is simply learning the basics of driving with other individuals on the road, they may not have their senses developed enough to understand what dangerous traffic is. Sadly, most teenagers believe that they are invincible and are prone to using their phone while driving, driving while intoxicated, or driving recklessly… which can lead to accidents.
Considering the information above, there’s plenty of concerns when on the road in North Carolina. Thankfully, we’re here to help you in the event you find yourself with a personal injury claim in this great state. Contact us today for further details on how we can help you!