Weather is something that no one can control. Operating a vehicle in poor weather circumstances is a choice that could have consequences should an accident occur. A North Carolina driver may now be facing charges after an accident on a snowy road that left one person dead. The driver may face criminal charges as well as a wrongful death lawsuit.
Police believe that weather may have been a factor in the accident that killed one person and injured another. The victim was a 23-year-old woman who was riding in the vehicle as a passenger when it crashed. The driver of the vehicle presumably lost control of the vehicle when it left the roadway that was covered in snow.
The vehicle then crashed into a nearby tree, causing the death of the young woman and the injuries of the driver. The injuries sustained by the driver were not life-threatening, however, treatment was given at a local hospital. Even though the weather may have been a factor that resulted in the accident, the report indicated that charges are, in fact, pending.
Whether North Carolina criminal charges are filed against the driver or not, the family of the victim may choose to file a claim for the wrongful death of their loved one. Weather is something that a driver should take into consideration before operating a vehicle. Even if the weather is a contributing factor for an accident, the driver may still be held responsible for the incident, especially if any negligence was involved.
Source: wxii12.com, NC woman killed in the possibly weather-related crash, No author, Feb. 12, 2014