A driver in Nash County, North Carolina is facing charges in a fatal crash that took three lives on the evening of March 2.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol stated a 20 year old male was driving his Mustang at a high rate of speed on Nash Street in Middlesex at 10:30 PM when it struck a vehicle turning left in front of him. The Mustang struck the vehicle near the driver’s side door.
The driver of the Mustang suffered serious injuries, and is facing charges of misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and speeding.
A passenger in that car and the driver and passenger in the struck vehicle were killed.
Our View
Most drivers hate getting speeding tickets, but the fact is that accident statistics prove that speeding endangers all drivers. In 2016, speeding in America killed more than 10,000 people, and accounted for more than 25% of car accidents. For more than 20 years, speeding has been a contributing factor in 1/3 of car accidents, as well.
Speeding also affects safety even when drivers are going the speed limit but are going too fast for poor weather conditions or if a road is under repair.
When you speed, you should remember that there is a greater chance of loss of vehicle control. For example, if you are going 65 in a 45 MPH zone and you come across an obstacle on the road, you may end up getting in a serious accident as you try to avoid the object. But at a slower, legal speed, you may have been able to avoid the object without getting into a crash.
Also, speeding increases your stopping distance after you perceive a danger or an obstacle ahead. In the above accident, if the Mustang driver had been going the speed limit, the accident with the left turning vehicle may have been avoided altogether.
If you are tempted to speed, you should keep in mind that speed limits are there to protect you and the public. Many people speed because they are running late for work, picking up the kids or their next appointment. But it is up to you as a licensed driver to drive responsibly no matter what your situation is. You should leave more time to do things that need to be done and not speed to make up lost time.
Because the driver in the above crash was most likely at fault, surviving family members may choose to file a wrongful death lawsuit that could result in a large settlement, depending upon the facts of the case.
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