Five-Car Crash Causes Traffic Delays on Wright Memorial Bridge in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (NC)

KITTY HAWK, NC- Piloitonline.com writes that a crash occurred this week in Kitty Hawk that led to lengthy delays for drivers on US 158. The road was backed up for about ten miles into the late afternoon, long after the road was cleared.*

The incident occurred in eastbound lanes in Dare County.

The aftermath of the wreck suggested that a truck drove over the back of a sedan and then collided with the back of an SUV. Two other vehicles were also involved, although in what way is not yet clear. 

Police arrived to investigate the late morning crash and were working in temperatures above 90 degrees. 

The long delays led some people to exit their cars and pull out beach chairs. Umbrellas and coolers were out, while motorists who had planned to make it to the beach worked to find more appealing ways to wait for the road to reopen. The high temperatures led to some cars overheating, and vehicles were along the road with their hoods up to allow the engines to cool. 

Car crashes are not uncommon in North Carolina. Studies indicate that the state is one of the worst when it comes to deadly collisions. 

In 2017, North Carolina lost more than 1,400 people in car accidents. The only states with more fatalities were Florida, Georgia, California, and Texas. 

At least part of the problem is that North Carolina has a high number of drunk drivers relative to other states. Data from 2018 found that both North and South Carolina have drunk driving rates that place them in the top ten worst states for drunk driving.

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or a family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/vp-nw-bridge-accident-20200718-zja3b46aufbl5i5xxghhyx4rzm-story.html

https://www.wmbfnews.com/2019/11/20/carolinas-fall-into-top-list-worst-states-drunk-driving/

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/investigations/investigators/study-nc-ranks-among-worst-states-for-deadly-car-crashes/275-603897545