Distracted Driving Cited As Alleged Cause of Charlotte, North Carolina Car Accident that Killed Father and Daughter
18-year-old Clemmons resident Sharai Marie Bauer has been charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle over her alleged involvement in a Charlotte, North Carolina car accident that killed 67-year-old Ji Sheng Lu and his 37-year-old daughter Jing Lu. Jing’s son, age 1, survived the crash with serious injuries.
According to the Observer, the Lu family was walking in the direction of traffic near a street curb on February 9 when they were allegedly struck by the vehicle that Bauer was driving. Ji Sheng Lu died at the scene, while Jing Lu was pronounced dead several hours later at Carolinas Medical Center.
It is suspected that the teen driver became distracted when an object fell to the floor of her vehicle and she bent down to pick it up. Police are also trying to determine whether Bauer was speeding.
Neighbors in the area where the crash happened have come forward to complain that it is not uncommon for vehicles to speed through and even run the stop sign. They have reportedly asked the city of for speed bumps. In 2009, they request a 4-way-stop sign some 50 yards from where last Wednesday’s Charlotte, North Carolina pedestrian accident took place. CDOT says that it has been waiting for a majority of the neighbors to sign a petition, which it has yet to receive back.
Distracted Driving
If distracted driving did play a role in last week’s collision, then the tragic accident is yet another example of why it is so important to keep one’s attention on the task of driving and eyes on the road. A driver usually never intends to harm anyone when he/she becomes distracted while driving. Unfortunately, deadly Charlotte, North Carolina traffic crashes can happen as a result.
Neighbors push for speed bumps, sign on street where 2 killed, WCNC, February 10, 2011
Distracted driver, 18, allegedly kills 2, UPI.com, February 10, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Charlotte Department of Transportation
Distracted Driving, US Department of Transportation
Related Blog Posts:
Teen Killed in Winston-Salem Pedestrian Accident While Waiting for Bus, North Carolina Car Accident Attorney Blog, December 31, 2010
Distracted Driving?: Unfinished Text Found in Vehicle Involved in North Carolina Car Accident that Injured Two Pedestrians, North Carolina Car Accident Attorney Blog, June 4, 2010
AAA Carolinas Warns Against Distracted Driving in North Carolina and South Carolina, North Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog, October 13, 2008
