Transportation

Our transportation coverage examines how traffic laws, infrastructure, and driver behavior affect accident rates in the region. We report on car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents, highlighting prevention, accountability, and legal recourse for victims. From distracted driving laws to highway safety initiatives, our goal is to make local roads safer for all who travel them.

Mercedes-Benz Announces Recall

Mercedes-Benz USA has announced a recall for almost 30,000 vehicles because a correctly latched seatbelt can mistakenly be identified as unlatched. When this happens, both visual and audible alerts will activate to let occupants in the vehicle know there is a seatbelt not fastened. The…

By Randy Appleton

/ 4 Dec 2019

Can Winter Weather Relieve Liability for At-Fault Drivers in Personal Injury Cases?

In a word, no. Explaining that you hit a batch of black ice or that you could not stop in time on snowy, slushy pavement will not get you out of a ticket or prevent you from settling insurance claims from people you hit and…

By Eric Washburn

/ 3 Dec 2019

5 Things a Bike Rider Must Do After a Driver Hits Them

During 2017, North Carolina saw 709 serious crashes involving motor vehicles and bicycles. These collisions left 681 bike riders injured and 21 people dead. The wrecks occurred all over the state, but Dare County, one the Outer Banks locales that our personal injury and wrongful…

By Randy Appleton

/ 29 Aug 2019

National Stop on Red Week

A common cause of vehicle crashes is reckless driving. When a driver makes a decision to ignore traffic laws and regulations, they put all commuters at risk. One of the most dangerous – and frequent – of these violations is the failure to stop for…

By Randy Appleton

/ 5 Aug 2019

Can Federal Tech Mandates Decrease Fatal Truck Crashes?

Over the past few years, there has been a steady increase in the number of fatal truck crashes that occur. More than 4,500 victims are killed every year and these numbers have been increasing at an annual rate of approximately 10 percent. From 2009 to…

By Randy Appleton

/ 12 Jun 2019

Can Federal Tech Mandates Decrease Fatal Truck Crashes?

You Have Legal Options When You Are Hit and Injured by the Driver of a Stolen Vehicle in North Carolina

Slightly more than 15,000 vehicles were reported stolen in North Carolina during 2016. We can’t know for sure how many of those cars and trucks were then involved in crashes that left innocent victims injured and killed, but it is safe to assume that a…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 21 Feb 2019

NC Hit & Run, Unknown Motorist Injury Cases: Underinsured Motorist (UM) Coverage Is Key

North Carolina requires each person who gets a license or buys a car in the state to carry car insurance with mandated minimum coverages for bodily injuries and property damage. But what happens if you are injured by a hit-and-run driver or if you get…

By Richard Shapiro

/ 25 Jan 2019

Drunk Driving Accidents

New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, as friends and family gather to welcome the new year. Part of many celebrations is alcohol and unfortunately, that alcohol often leads to dangerous and deadly car accidents. National statistics show that New…

By Eric Washburn

/ 9 Jan 2019

Are Consumers Excited About Self-Driving Vehicles?

Once only a prop in sci-fi films, self-driving vehicles are just on the horizon. Auto manufacturers are continuously developing, designing, and searching for new options to offer consumers that will make their products more attractive. Many companies are rushing to develop and market autonomous veh

By Randy Appleton

/ 3 Jan 2019

Are Consumers Excited About Self-Driving Vehicles?

The Accident Report Police Released Doesn’t State Which Driver Was at Fault. Do I Still Have a Viable Personal Injury Claim?

The answer will depend on what an independent investigation into your accident shows. While, technically, police, sheriff’s deputies and state troopers in North Carolina must include fault information in their crash reports, the official conclusion is not always cut-and-dried. In such a case, partne

By Randy Appleton

/ 12 Dec 2018

Drivers, Walkers Must Understand When and Where Pedestrians Have Right of Way

Use the crosswalk. Wait for a green light or walk signal. Look both ways. Cross quickly. We have these rules for safely crossing streets drummed into us from the day on which we take our first steps. This is a good thing because the rules…

By Eric Washburn

/ 11 Jun 2018

North Carolina Woman Charged After Crash Kills Mother and Toddler

Police in Charlotte, North Carolina have charged a woman with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle after a mother and her child died in a crash on May 11. Charlotte police were called to the crash scene just before 8 am to the accident on Eastway…

By Randy Appleton

/ 1 Jun 2018

North Carolina Woman Charged After Crash Kills Mother and Toddler