Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
NTSB Calls Highway Deaths a Public Health Crisis
Highway deaths continue to rise, so much so that the National Transportation Safety Board has declared a public health crisis. There are about 43,000 deaths each year as a result of accidents on United States roadways. The statement from the NTSB came after a serious and deadly crash of a high school band bus in Ohio that resulted in the fatalities of several students and adults.
The crash occurred on Interstate 70 near Etna, Ohio, and involved the student charter bus, a tractor-trailer, a commercial vehicle, and two passenger vehicles. In addition to the fatalities, at least 18 additional people were transported to local hospitals with various injuries. This is just one of many fatal accidents in the United States this year.
What is the Function of the NTSB?
The NTSB is a governmental agency that investigates accidents involving transportation, including aviation, highway, marine, railroad, and pipeline. They investigate all aviation accidents as well as significant accidents involving other forms of transportation. They are on call all the time and have teams that fly to accident locations immediately upon notification. They are tasked with an in-depth evaluation of the accident, including determining the cause. The NTSB also provides safety recommendations.
Personal injury Lawyer Matt Arnold answers the question: “I was involved in a motor vehicle accident with injuries. Do I need a lawyer?“
NTSB Safety Initiatives
The NTSB regularly provides safety recommendations and initiatives to states. The information they provide comes from their extensive crash investigation. They are continually trying to help improve highway safety, among other types of safety matters. Some of these initiatives include:
- Truck Safety
- Graduated driver licensing programs
- Child and Youth Transportation Safety Initiative
- Motorcoach Fleet Safety
- Motorcycle Safety
The NTSB Chair, Jennifer Homendy, spoke to reporters following the recent bus accident. She expressed concern about the high number of highway deaths and stated that action is needed to save lives. Specifically, she indicated that the NTSB has provided states with valuable information and recommendations that should be heeded in order to reduce highway accidents and fatalities. Unfortunately, recommendations that the NTSB gives are not always followed, and if they were, the number of traffic-related fatalities could go down.
Negligence in Motor Vehicle Accidents
In North Carolina, a driver whose negligence caused an accident is responsible for any damages that resulted. All drivers have a duty of care to drive safely. Negligence is the “failure to behave with the level of care that a reasonable person would have exercised under the same circumstances.” Some examples of negligence include speeding, improper lane changes, and failure to obey a traffic signal, among others. To collect compensation for damages, the victim must prove that the other driver was negligent and caused actual injuries.
Drivers in North Carolina cannot collect compensation in accidents in which they have any amount of negligence. Typically, the insurance company investigates the crash and ascribes a portion of the fault to each driver. Only victims with zero percent negligence can get money for their injuries. An experienced personal injury attorney will work with the insurance provider to ensure that you will receive the money you deserve for your injuries. Many times, the case is settled outside of court.
If you or a loved one were hurt in an accident that was not your fault, we can help. Call us today at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 for a consultation to discuss your case.
When it is time to fight, we fight to win. 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:
negligence | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute (cornell.edu)
Image Credit:
Night Traffic Free Photo Download | FreeImages
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