One driver’s poorly timed attempt to turn left onto NC 168/Caratoke Highway just north of Moyock, North Carolina (NC), set off a three-car crash that left 11 people seriously injured. Four children, ranging in age from 10 to 16, were among the victims of the wreck near the Towne Bank off Baxter Lane on the night of September 13, 2016.
Police determined that the pileup began when a driver traveling south on NC 168 swerved to avoid the car pulling out from the side street. The two cars collided anyway, and the swerving vehicle sheared off into oncoming traffic. A head-on collision with the third car resulted. Two of the victims had to be cut from the wreckage, and several of the people were initially listed in critical condition. Two days later, all but one of the victims had been discharged from the hospitals to which they were taken.
The turning driver has been charged with failing to yield right of way. It is unlikely that the driver who crossed the center line of the highway will be cited for a traffic violation because she only fully lost control of her car after inadvertently hitting the first vehicle.
The driver who cut off the car that had right of way appears to bear complete responsibility for causing the pileup. This would make her liable for settling personal injury insurance claims and paying other damages to all the victims. Since few people carry the kind of collision and liability insurance that covers almost a dozen claims, the adults hurt in this Moyock crash and the parents of the injured children should look into invoking the uninsured/underinsured motorist provisions of their own auto insurance policies. Consulting with an experienced and caring Carolina personal injury lawyer would help them understand how to do that.
EJL