Charlotte Injury Lawyers Blog
Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “If I am injured in a car accident or at work what should I do?”
A seriously scary accident that took place in Raleigh, NC last week reveals the dangers associated with texting and driving. The accident, which occurred on I-540 near Aviation Parkway, left several people injured and in need of medical treatment.
According to emergency responders, the accident happened at around 9:30 in the morning when Aaron Artis was approaching Exit 2 on Interstate 540. Witnesses say there was heavy morning traffic at the time and Artis, who was distracted by his cell phone, failed to notice a car stopped in the median.
Police officials say that a family had pulled over on the median to change a flat tire, with the mother and two young children getting out of the car. Police say Artis received a text message as he approached the stopped vehicle and looked down to read it for several seconds. Just those few seconds were enough to cause a serious problem, with Artis realizing too late that he was heading right for the family as his car had drifted out of its lane. Artis attempted to straighten his wheels, but when he did so, overcorrected and sideswiped another vehicle.
Police say another car then crashed into the sideswiped car. The force of the accidents caused serious injuries to the driver of the first vehicle, Laura Labdon. The mother who had stopped to change her flat tire, Adriana Sepulveda, was also injured and transported to Duke University Hospital for treatment. Thankfully, the two young kids, ages 5 and 10, were not hurt in the accident.
Police say that Artis has since been charged with texting while driving as well as failure to maintain lane control. Authorities say that the accident should stand as a lesson for others about the dangers associated with distracted driving. Even though Artis only took his eyes off the road for a few seconds that was all it took to lead to a serious chain reaction crash. His decision to read a text message meant that at least two other drivers suffered serious injuries, injuries that were entirely avoidable.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver distraction was responsible for 18 percent of all fatal accidents in 2010, with more than 3,100 people killed and 416,000 people injured. Other studies have found that texting while driving increases the risk that a driver will be involved in an accident by 2300 percent, a sobering statistic that should give North Carolinians serious pause before reaching for their cell phones.
If you, or someone you know, have any questions regarding personal injury claims, please feel free to contact the experienced personal injury attorneys and lawyers in Charlotte, North Carolina at Arnold & Smith, PLLC for a free consultation. Call at 704-370-2828.
About the Author:
Matthew Arnold is a Managing Member with Arnold & Smith, PLLC where he focuses his practice on Personal Injury, Family Law and Business Litigation. Mr. Arnold began his career handling insurance defense litigation for several major insurance companies. He also went on to handle business litigation cases and high value mortgage fraud cases, primarily in Superior Court.
Mr. Arnold grew up in Charlotte, graduating from Providence Senior High School and continued his education at Belmont Abbey College on a basketball scholarship. After graduating cum laude he attended law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a full academic scholarship. In his spare time, Mr. Arnold enjoys golfing and spending time on the North Carolina Coast with his wife and three young children: two daughters and one son.
Source:
“Raleigh troopers say texting driver hit family on I-540,” published at WTVD.com.
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