North Carolina Injury Law Blog

1 man killed, 2 firefighters injured in wreck

Today's Charlotte Observer brings news of a fatal wreck in which a car hit a fire truck stopped on I-85. The fire truck was attending to a minor wreck when the second collision occurred.  The details of the accident are still being investigated, but the death of the driver who hit the fire truck and the 2 injured firefighters reminds us to keep our eyes open on the road!  So many deaths and injuries could be avoided by folks paying attention to notice stalled vehicles on the side of roads or in this case, emergency workers assisting others. Within the last few years an EMT in Charlotte suffered horrendous and life-altering injuries after a wreck happened while he was attending to injured from another wreck.  I believe these types of things can for the most part be avoided by drivers watching carefully to maintain awareness of what's going on ahead, and adjusting their speed accordingly.   Sometimes bad things will just happen, no doubt, but paying attention and driving as the circumstances dictate can avoid many if not most of these tragedies.

-will

Please. Get a cab.

Sadly, this is a story that seems to be a familiar one.  Driver drinks too much, gets in car, and then is in a wreck killing other driver.  This time it was in Raleigh, my hometown, though we've had several such wrecks in Charlotte the last several years.  The victim was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, headed to work at a time of day when one would never think there might be an intoxicated driver on the road. 

These tragic wrecks can be avoided. Easily. Simply DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.  If you've had "only a couple", but you are not sure about driving, don't.  Err on the side of caution - wouldn't you want someone else to do you the same courtesy as you commute to work on the same road?  Cab fare would have been well worth the price the allegedly intoxicated driver is going to face from the law, and no doubt his conscience.

-will