What Happened
The total number of wrecks is not certain but there were at least two hundred twenty accidents according to the North Carolina Highway Patrol. A total of twenty two people have been hurt, and several suffered life-threatening injuries.
The North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers’ Perspective
It is very common to hear about accidents during inclement weather; however two hundred twenty is an astounding number. Driving in winter weather can be very dangerous. Here are a few tips to help make sure you are safe, and what to do if you are involved in an accident.
Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you. Brake gently so you can avoid skidding. If you do begin to skid take your foot of the gas, and steer in the direction you want to go. If you have standard breaks pump the brake pedal gently. However if you have anti-lock brakes apply steady pressure and do not pump the pedal. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
If you are involved in an accident with another vehicle, stay at the scene in a safe place to gather information. You will need names, phone numbers, addresses and e-mail addresses of all occupants, including the number of occupants in the other car(s). You will want insurance company names, policy numbers, and phone numbers. If emergency services respond gather the police report, and make sure you have the officer’s name and badge number.
If you or one of your passengers is injured contact an experienced North Carolina (NC) personal injury attorney. The sooner you contact a lawyer the better, this will allow the lawyer to act quickly to preserve evidence. While insurance is an institution in place to help you recover from such accidents, there are other forces at work that often overshadow this principle. Insurance is a business and their goal is to make a profit. In order to do that they will try any and every tactic they legally can to maximize their profits. A good North Carolina (NC) personal injury lawyer may benefit you more than your own insurance company.
Potentially Helpful Info:
Take a moment to read our car accident injury guide so you’re fully informed about what to do if you are hurt in a Virginia (VA) or North Carolina (NC) car accident.
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