Two fatal North Carolina accidents in October 2011 involving individuals walking with headphones highligh the dangers of not paying attention to traffic as a pedestrian. In one incident, a 15-year-old Charlotte, NC, high school student died after stepping into traffic in the 4400 block of Tuckaseegee Road. The driver swerved in an attempt to avoid her.
In the other deadly incident, a Cherryville, NC man died when he was hit by a car at the intersection of West Church Street and Delview Road while he walking to work.
These accidents demonstrate the risks of being addicted to electronic devices. When people walk down the street wearing headphones, they often do not pay attention to oncoming traffic and cannot hear cars honk. As a result, headphone use has increased pedestrian fatalities and several states have introduced bills to penalize people for wearing headphones while walking.
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About the Editors: The Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm, which has offices in Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC), edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as pro bono services.
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