Recently, tragedy struck the small North Carolina town of Denver. A 17-year-old high school student was killed and six other people were injured in a collision last week. According to officials familiar with the crash, the car accident happened at the intersection of Highway 150 and Henry Dellinger Road (as shown on the map below) shortly after school dismissed at 3:20 p.m..


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Crash scene Investigators mentioned that a white utility truck crashed into a silver Honda Civic. What happened afterward will cause deep sadness in this community for a very long time I am sure. A 17 yr old North Lincoln High School student died in the crash. In addition, there were 6 others involved in the car wreck that were seriously injured.

We are always deeply saddened to hear stories like this. Although we do not personally know the family of the child killed, nor those of all that were injured, but our heart goes out to them in this terrible time of grief.  All of our attorneys are parents as well, and stories like this are especially troubling.  I imagine the entire community of Denver, North Carolina  (NC)  as well as N. Lincoln High School has  come together in support of all those involved.

In the meantime, North Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating this deadly crash. The Sergent on duty, Brian Sharpe, reported that three people were inside the Honda, in addition to the girl that has died. According to the accident report, the driver swerved to avoid stopped traffic while heading eastbound on Highway 150. The driver ended up rear ending an SUV, which pushed the car into oncoming traffic. A white utility truck then broadsided the Honda Civic, hitting the rear passenger area.

I would like to offer up some defensive driving tips for you, or to any younger driver in your life so that you might share with them: 

1. Stay calm – One of the most important defensive driving tactic you can learn is to keep a cool head at all times. No matter how many other tactics you use, if you are not calm while on behind the wheel, they will not be as effective as they should be.

2. Look far enough ahead – In order to avoid hazardous situations you need to see them coming. Looking ahead five to eight seconds periodically will help you see any road hazards before they are under your wheels.

3. Watch your speed – And by this CarInsuranceQuotes.com doesn’t mean watch your speed increase past the posted limit. Maintaining a safe speed that matches other travelers without exceeding the posted speed limit is crucial to defensive driving. The faster you drive, the more your reaction time will be cut and the harder the impact will be in the unfortunate event you are in an accident.

4. Yield – Sooner or later when driving you will come to an intersection at about the same time as another driver. If you are unsure as to who got to the intersection first a good defensive driving tactic is to yield the right of way to the other driver. Remember, no one ever caused an accident by yielding the right of way.

5. Let them know where you want to go – Defensive driving is all about making yourself as visible as possible to other drivers in order to avoid a collision. If you are planning on changing lanes or making a turn then you should signal your intentions before you do so. It is important to note that you should not signal too early either. Signaling too early could cause oncoming drivers to think you are going to make a turn before you intend to and then turn in front of you.

6. Slow down at intersections – Intersections are one of the most dangerous places on the road. In fact, they are where the majority of accidents occur, especially in the city. A good defensive driving tactic is to slow down every time before entering an intersection. Slowing down will allow you to see hazards more easily and increase your reaction time if you need to slow down or stop.

7. Avoid blind spots – Every vehicle has blind spots, and not all drivers check them before turning or changing lanes. Good defensive drivers avoid other peoples blind spots at all times. Where the blind spots are depends on the vehicle. Most cars have blind spots on the sides near the rear of the vehicle, and if there is no rear window or the view is obstructed, you will also want to avoid this area.

8. Slow down in inclement weather – Rain and snow increases the hazards of driving, and the faster you drive, the more dangerous it becomes. The posted speed limit is for driving on dry, clear days. Good defensive drivers drive below the posted speed limit during periods of inclement weather to increase their reaction time in the case they encounter any hazardous situations.

9. Wear your seat belt – Even if you utilize every defensive driving tactic in your arsenal, the chance of being involved in an automobile accident is still too high to drive without protection. Wearing your seat belt lowers the chance of you being injured in a collision significantly. And if you need another reason to wear a seat belt, just remember that it’s the law.

It is my sincere desire that this may assist in the prevention of another tragic event such as this in the future. As with all serious injury cases, it is especially crucial to seek out professional legal advice in car accident injury cases and we have the experienced injury attorneys to evaluate your claim. Our firm is ready to assist you  in reviewing your specific situation to see if your claim meets our criteria. In North Carolina  (NC) , as well as every other state, there are laws on how long you have to file a suit. Don’t hesitate, call our toll free number and get confidential legal advice.