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A North Carolina woman was killed in a golf cart accident in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on July 27. 

According to the North Myrtle Beach police, the golf cart accident happened at 6 pm when the driver of a Toyota Camry swerved off the road to avoid an animal. The car then struck a golf cart that was being ridden by a 65-year-old woman and her husband.

The woman was thrown from the cart and died at the scene. Her husband was taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.

A witness called 911 right after the accident happened, and he tried to save the woman by performing CPR, but her injuries were too serious.

Our View

Animal-vehicle collisions can be expensive, but they also can be deadly. From 2001 to 2011, animal collisions on American roads caused more than 2,000 fatal accidents. No matter if the animal is a dog, cat or deer, anytime an animal is in the road, it is a stressful and possibly dangerous moment for drivers.

To prevent animal-vehicle collisions, keep these tips in mind: 

  • Scan the road and shoulders constantly. Accidents can be prevented by drivers looking several seconds ahead on the road. Keep in mind that animals move in groups, so if you see one, there are probably others nearby.
  • Use high beams. If there is no oncoming traffic, high beam headlights make it easier to spot animals at night. This will allow you more time to slow down or move over.
  • If you are going to hit an animal, hit the brakes firmly, but do not swerve. This is the most serious mistake that people make. When an animal strike is unavoidable, simply hit the brakes hard, maintaining control, but do not swerve. Swerving into another lane or off the road can make an expensive accident with an animal in the road into a fatal accident. In the above accident, the driver wanted to avoid hurting an animal and/or damaging his vehicle. The result was killing a person.
  • Slow down. Use caution when you are driving through areas with a lot of wildlife near the roads.

Our Virginia and North Carolina personal injury attorneys have seen far too many avoidable car accidents that led to serious injury and death. If more people would use more caution and attention in their driving, there would be fewer fatal accidents. In the case of a fatal accident where another party is negligent, a wrongful death lawsuit can provide families with the compensation they need to get their lives back on track. 

 

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