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It is more important than ever to look out for motorcycles. North Carolina has seen record numbers of visitors appear on bikes, looking to enjoy the natural beauty and legendary hospitality of the Tar Heel State.
Driving around motorcycles can be just as hard as biking around cars. Two-wheeled vehicles keep a low profile and are often harder to see. It takes patience and attention to detail to make sure one is not posing a danger to motorcycles and their riders.
Exploring North Carolina behind the handlebars of a motorcycle is hard to beat. Whether you prefer casual cruises through Wilson or long treks on the Blue Ridge Parkway, you must take steps to stay safe on your bike. After all, in 2017, 141 motorcyclists died on North Carolina's roadways.
Even though your motorcycle is fun to ride, it does not offer many safety features. If you collide with a car, truck, SUV or commercial vehicle, there is a good chance you may sustain some type of injury. While injuries to your brain, neck and spinal column may be debilitating, an injury to your arms may prevent you from ever riding again.
North Carolina holds its share of hazards for all types of drivers. Motorcyclists often find the winding roads in the Great Smoky Mountains challenging but risky. Tourists near the Outer Banks and Wrightsville Beach may happen upon a slow-moving local car. Truckers may punish nearby drivers due to excessive speed and difficulty stopping.
Few accidents are more hazardous than wrong-way head-on collisions. One of these incidents claimed two lives in Nakina when a driver appeared in the wrong lane of a state highway. The late afternoon incident began when a male driver crossed the center line of Highway 905, prompting a female driver going the other direction to attempt to avoid him.
North Carolina has more miles of interstate highways than the average U.S. state. The area's size and position at the crossroads of the Eastern Seaboard make it particularly prone to truck traffic. Although most truck drivers are seasoned professionals with an eye for safety, accidents still happen.
One of the leading causes of truck accidents is sudden transitions from speed to standstill. These often happen around construction zones and areas of high congestion near urban centers like Raleigh and Charlotte. When cars cannot stop soon enough, they may slide under trailers. When trucks cannot stop soon enough, they may strike the vehicles in front of them or lose control of their haulage.
Police officers, construction workers and many other professionals who put their lives and safety on the line at work struggle with the risks they encounter. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is often specifically designed to protect people and their senses from damage or destruction due to threats on the job.
One of the basics for people who work around loud noises is ear protection, which may take the form of exterior shell headphones or interior earplugs. A major brand of earplugs is implicated in a new series of lawsuits that claim they did not sufficiently protect military personnel from the sounds of battle.
Springtime has reached the Great Smoky Mountains and the beaches from the Outer Banks to Wilmington. That means one thing: more motorcycles on the road. Riders take advantage of North Carolina's many gorgeous byways once the weather becomes milder, and drivers need to be aware of the risks for striking them with cars or trucks.
How dangerous are motorcycle accidents?
Parking lots may seem safe, but anyone can lose control even in such a confined space. One Raleigh man recently drove 70 mph through a parking lot and careened into a river where he tragically lost his life. No one else sustained injuries, but in a parking lot, you never know what other cars or pedestrians may do.
Parking lot accidents happen all the time, and they can result in substantial injuries. You can sustain significant whiplash or suffer a concussion even though neither vehicle traveled that fast. You need to remain vigilant even if you think it is safe, so you can avoid the most common collisions that occur in lots.
Although North Carolina is not particularly dangerous for drivers, the state sees its share of car accidents. This is especially true when the warmer months of the year bring a wide variety of vehicles to the road, and people have to contend with negotiating space around each other.
One particularly tragic event involved a fatal collision of two cars in Durham recently that also resulted in charges for the driver of one. The suspect was driving a sedan north on State Route 751 when he swerved at the sight of a bicyclist. His car ended up in the opposing lane of traffic and struck an oncoming car.
Most of the cargo in the American heartland gets to stores and warehouses by truck, and very little would get done without them. But heavy vehicles on shared roads can bring extra risks to others nearby, which can lead to disastrous consequences in the worst circumstances.
A North Carolina man is facing charges over the death of a 14-year-old girl in a Nebraska collision two years ago. He was allegedly driving a tractor-trailer that struck a car, killing the front seat passenger. Law enforcement authorities in the local jurisdiction originally charged the driver with misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide and a warrant was pending for his arrest.
It is difficult enough to accept injuries that are caused by ourselves or no one at all. It can be harder to get through harm that other people visited upon us, even when it is by accident. No one wants to have to "go after" a person or organization for damages after an injury, but it is sometimes the right thing to do.
When is a person or company liable for injuries?
Call us at 252-360-1339 or fill out the form below to schedule an initial consultation with an experienced attorney.
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108 Nash St. E.
P.O. Box 2727
Wilson,
NC
27894
Toll Free:
888-569-0691
Phone:
252-360-1339
Fax:
252-291-8826
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