Fiery Rear-End Crash Shuts Down I-40 | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A fiery pileup crash on I-40 has left at least one person dead. The crash occurred this morning at approximately 10 a.m. in the westbound lanes near exit 280 in Durham County.

Law enforcement reports that a vehicle was stopped in one of the lanes because of traffic when it was suddenly rear-ended by another vehicle. This crash caused a chain reaction and several other vehicles were all rear-ended. The force of these impacts caused three of the seven vehicles involved in the fatal accident to all burst into flames.  

Witnesses at the scene say the dead victim, a 63-year-old Wilson man, was removed from their vehicle by a bystander before the vehicle burst into flames. All westbound lanes of I-40 were closed as police investigated the fatal crash. No other information has been released on any of the other victims involved in the crash or the extent of their injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 30 percent of all car crashes involve rear-end collisions. That comes out to 3 million rear-end accidents every year. More than 950,000 victims of these crashes are seriously injured and, tragically, at least 2,000 victims are killed.

Frequent causes of rear-end collisions include distracted driving caused by cell phone use; distracted driving caused by road construction or other activity; reckless driving behaviors, such as speeding; no keeping a safe distance between vehicles; and the inability to make a sudden stop.

Some of the more common type of serious injuries from rear-end collisions include back and neck injuries, brain injuries, broken or fractured bones, concussions, facial injuries, spinal cord injuries, and whiplash.

If you have lost a loved one in a fatal rear-end crash, contact a skilled North Carolina wrongful death attorney. Our car crash attorneys have successfully represented many families who have suffered the loss of a family member. We understand that no amount of damages will ever replace your loved one or alleviate the pain and loss, however, our experienced personal injury attorneys also understand that many families are often left with heavy financial burdens when a loved one is the victim of a fatal crash.