Horrifying Video of Near-Fatal North Carolina Car Accident Becomes YouTube Super Hit
A North Carolina car accident became a national phenomenon this week – racking up over half a million hits on YouTube… and that was before the driver involved in the crash, Wendy Cobb, appeared on Today with Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer.
Wendy Cobb had been cruising on the highway in Cleveland County, going approximately 45 miles per hour, when a nearby truck drove over a 2×4 lying in the road, sending the board rocketing towards her car. The 2×4 pierced the windshield, nearly killing Cobb, who just happened to be recording traffic on her cell phone.
After the ordeal, Cobb’s son suggested that his mom post the footage of her North Carolina car accident on YouTube. He thought maybe it would reach 1,000 hits. Thanks to a hat tip from Jalopnik, an auto blogger, however, the story gained heat quickly and drove the YouTube video viral. Cobb had been filming because she believed that the trucks ahead of her were “holding up traffic” — she wanted video evidence of their misbehavior.
Reaction from the blogosphere has not been all wine and roses for Cobb. Many commentators pointed out that Cobb was asking for trouble by driving so close to the trucks. Likewise, videotaping while driving is never recommended. Fortunately, Cobb escaped her accident unscathed. But many other North Carolina drivers are not so lucky. This blog often reports some truly terrible tragedies along those lines.
The story over Cobb’s epic 2×4 accident raises interesting, almost philosophical, questions about accident law and about its capacity to protect our families from harm on the roads. No matter how safely we drive, factors out of our control can emerge seemingly out of nowhere.
It’s nearly impossible to predict when and where you might encounter debris on highways – such as hubcaps, mattresses, trash, and stray 2x4s. And if you do get injured by debris, it can be very difficult to identify the culprit and bring him or her (or a company) to justice. For instance, in Cobb’s case, perhaps a local construction worker forgot to tether his 2x4s to his truck. So one slipped off and landed on the highway. A good forensic specialist might, in some situations, be able to trace the board back to the negligent driver. But linking that negligence with injuries associated with a 2×4 accident would be very hard.
The broader point here is that, if you or someone you care about has been injured or has suffered property damage, a North Carolina car accident law firm can help you unpack your legal options to collect compensation and to hold various parties accountable.
More Web Resources:
Cobb’s accident — shocking YouTube video
Wendy Cobb appears on Today with Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer
