Many factors can contribute to a serious auto accident on our Fayetteville roads. As we have recently discussed on our personal injury law blog, driver fatigue, intoxication, distraction and other types of negligence can all lead to drivers making serious mistakes that can have fatal consequences.
But after two separate accidents occurred in the same location and have taken the lives of two individuals within the past year, some Fayetteville residents are concerned that the road where both crashes occurred may be too dangerous.
Earlier this month, a 24-year-old man was killed in car crash on Lakewood Drive. After investigating the accident, Fayetteville police reported that speed was a factor. However, some question whether the road’s poor design also contributed to the fatal accident.
According to reports, the driver who was killed earlier this month on Lakewood Drive had lost control of his vehicle and ran into a ditch. However, the angle at which the man’s car hit the ditch caused the vehicle to flip over. The driver’s body was ejected from his car.
Last June, a 16-year-old Jack Britt High School student died in a very similar accident about a quarter mile away from where the most recent fatal accident occurred on Lakewood Drive. The teen’s car had overturned after he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the ditch.
A nearby resident has questioned why there are not guardrails installed to prevent vehicles from driving off into the ditch. A Fayetteville officer acknowledged that the road can be dangerous, especially at night, because it is only two lanes and has a curvy design. “If you’re not on your Ps and Qs out there, it could be a recipe for disaster for sure,” the officer stated.
Drivers can certainly help to reduce their risk of being involved in a crash by obeying traffic laws, eliminating distractions and paying attention to the road, but North Carolina cities and counties can also help to reduce car crashes by making sure that roads are safely designed, by installing guardrails where needed and by posting signs for motorists.
Source: abc11, “Residents want action after fatal crash in Fayetteville,” Gilbert Baez, March 21, 2012