A tractor-trailer truck crashed into vehicles, including two police cars, after failing to move over. The crash happened after police were investigating an accident that had taken place on the same roadway. The vehicles were all stopped on the shoulder of the highway when a truck driver failed to move over for the flashing lights. The truck was unable to sufficiently slow down and veered into the shoulder where it hit the vehicles, including police cars along with vehicles that were involved in the previous crash.
Managing member Matt Arnold describes a semi-truck crash that happened on March 23rd, 2024, on I-40 in North Carolina. The semi-truck crashed into vehicles after failing to move over. Matt goes into what the move over law is and its important to follow.
What is the Move Over Law?
The Move Over Law (N.C. G. S. 20-157) requires drivers to move over and slow down when they approach emergency or rescue vehicles on the side of the road. The law applies to vehicles traveling in the same direction as the emergency vehicles. When a driver sees emergency flashing lights, such as those from police, ambulance, or fire, must move over and slow down. The purpose of the law is to protect emergency personnel and disabled vehicles from getting hit and prevent injuries and fatalities.
Four People Were Injured
Four people were injured in this truck crash that occurred on I-40 near mile marker 20. Police responded to a two-vehicle accident in the same area, along with a North Carolina Department of Transportation IMAP safety vehicle. While attending to the initial crash, a tractor-trailer went off the road and struck the IMAP vehicle and then the police car. The police vehicle was pushed into the two vehicles involved in the first crash. Four people in total were transported to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.
Truck Accidents Can Be Serious
In this case, none of the injuries were fatal. However, when a truck collides with a passenger vehicle, it can result in severe harm to the other driver and occupants. Large commercial trucks can weigh upwards of 80,000 pounds when fully loaded with cargo, making them extremely heavy and difficult to control and stop. Head trauma, broken bones, internal injuries, and neck and back injuries are just some of the various severe injuries that a victim of a truck accident might endure. If the truck driver was negligent, he may be liable for the damages caused by the crash.
Negligence in Truck Accidents
In any vehicle accident, the driver responsible for the crash is liable for any damages they caused. In North Carolina, a victim may only get damages when they themselves were not negligent. Negligence means that the driver failed to use the level of care that a reasonable person would use in the same circumstances. Some examples of negligent driving include speeding, driving while impaired, and distracted driving, among others. If you were hurt in an accident that was not your fault, you may be owed compensation for your injuries.
The law limits the time to file a claim, so do not delay. Contact a Charlotte truck accident lawyer as soon after the accident as possible at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 for a free consultation.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_20/gs_20-157.html
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/truck-accident-1450067
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