Safety a Top Concern after Deadly Carolina Snow Storm | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

Almost the entire state of North Carolina turned into a winter wonderland last week, but the sobering reality was that at least 4 people died in the icy mess that caught many off guard. In fact, Governor Purdue assembled a news conference announcing some further details in regards to the specific fatalities

The frozen precipitation showed no mercy on the Tar Heel state as a pedestrian was killed in Wayne County near Goldsboro, two men died of over exertion shoveling snow, one in Surry County and the other near Charlotte.  In addition, a gentleman in Gastonia slipped and fell to his death in a wooded area near his home during a night time walk.

As an attorney that specializes in injury law I see many accidents that could have possibly been prevented that end up resulting in trauma to the body ranging from minor to critical and even sometimes causing the loss of life. During severe weather such as the unprecedented snow and ice storm we encountered recently, we are even more prone to accidents and injury. In the likely event that we run into some further winter precipitation prior to Spring’s arrival, here are some safety reminders to keep in mind when encountering icy road hazards.

As reported on weather.com here are the safety tips:

·         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 to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.

·         Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.

·         Keep your lights and windshield clean.

·         Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.

·         Don’t use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.

·         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.

·         Don’t pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you’re likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.

·         Don’t assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
and how they occurred.
 

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