Wilmington North Carolina Law Blog

Auto accidents and inexperienced drivers

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in Car Accidents on Friday, April 20, 2018.

Whether a driver is intoxicated after drinking too much alcohol or they are under the influence of drugs, there are all sorts of risk factors that can lead to a crash. However, even sober and responsible drivers might find themselves in a motor vehicle collision for any number of reasons. Distracted driving and drowsy driving are serious problems, but there are other potential areas of concern, such as inexperienced driving. If you are operating a vehicle and have little experience on the road, or one of your loved ones is driving without much experience, it is important to be especially careful.

An inexperienced driver may be more likely to crash for a variety of reasons. For example, they may not have as much familiarity when it comes to controlling their vehicle, or they may not know how to react when a threat arises on the road. Moreover, they could ignore certain traffic signs and precautionary measures because they have not found themselves in such a position before. Inexperienced drivers may be teenagers, but there are also adults who drive without very much experience on the road. For example, someone may have spent their teens and 20s in a city and depended on public transportation.

How is child custody determined?

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in family law on Monday, April 16, 2018.

Parents in North Carolina who are going through a divorce have many hard decisions to make. One of the toughest is custody of the children. As in most states, custody decisions in North Carolina are based off what is best for the child. While parents are encouraged to communicate and make the decision together, the court can make the determination if the parents are unable to do so.

According to the North Carolina Bar Association, fathers and mothers have equal rights when it comes to who gets custody over the child. There are different types of custody that may be chosen, and they are as follows:

Sole custody - one parent typically has primary custody and makes all the decisions related to the child's care
Joint legal custody - parents do not have shared physical custody but both are involved in the decision-making process
Joint custody - parents share physical custody and are both involved in making decisions

When loud music contributes to a crash

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in Car Accidents on Friday, April 6, 2018.

Motor vehicle wrecks have many causes, from honest mistakes to reckless behavior. Unfortunately, some people may not realize that certain behaviors, such as listening to excessively loud music, can increase the chances of a crash in different ways. When an accident takes place, there may be far-reaching repercussions that shatter the lives of entire families. From emotional pain over the loss of a loved one to financial problems brought on by lost work as a result of an injury, motor vehicle collisions can be devastating.

There are a variety of ways in which loud music can increase the chances of an accident. For starters, a driver who is listening to loud music may not be able to hear important sounds while driving, such as another car’s horn. Moreover, the loud noise could cause those who are driving other vehicles to become distracted, whether their hearing is affected or they are bothered by the sounds. Other related behaviors, such as turning the radio station, adjusting the volume, or looking for a CD, can also cause a driver to become distracted.

A look at recreational vehicle accidents

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in Car Accidents on Friday, March 30, 2018.

Whenever a collision occurs, the consequences can be staggering, whether the accident involves one motorcycle, a semi truck, or multiple cars. However, some can be especially dangerous, such as those which involve a recreational vehicle. Whether you have been in an accident while you were driving an RV, were recently struck by an RV, or are concerned about an accident that might occur when you operate an RV in the future, it is important to understand some of the different consequences associated with a recreational vehicle crash.

When it comes to recreational vehicles, there are multiple reasons why these types of traffic collisions can be particularly dangerous. First of all, RVs are very large and can be especially deadly when an accident takes place. To make things worse, some people may have difficulty controlling an RV or inexperience operating such a large vehicle. An inexperienced RV driver may struggle with passing, switching lanes, making turns, and backing up, for example. Moreover, someone may be driving an RV during a trip to another part of the country, on roads or road conditions they have never experienced before.

How many deadly wrecks involve trucks, cars, and other vehicles?

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in Car Accidents on Friday, March 23, 2018.

Motor vehicle collisions can prove fatal regardless of the type of vehicle that is involved in the crash. However, some types of crashes may be more likely to result in the loss of life than others. When someone passes away in a collision, their life is cut short and their loved ones will also have to suffer through emotional pain and, in some cases, serious financial problems as well. As a result, it is important to go over statistics on deadly accidents based on the type of vehicle.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published data from 2010 which offers insight into details on motor vehicle collisions. During this year, 17,428 fatal accidents involving a light truck took place, compared to 17,718 deadly wrecks involving a passenger car. Motorcycles were involved in more than 4,600 deadly wrecks over the course of the year, while large trucks were involved in more than 3,480 fatal collisions. When it comes to crashes that resulted in an injury, however, passenger cars were involved in the majority of accidents (56.7 percent, or 1,579,000).

Effective criminal defense strategies in North Carolina

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in blog on Friday, March 23, 2018.

If you have been charged with a crime in North Carolina, it is likely that you will be thinking about what is the best way to defend yourself. Every person convicted of a crime has the right to defend themselves, and it is this right of defense that is necessary to make a fair decision.

As a defendant, you will develop your defense strategy alongside your criminal defense attorney. They will do this by learning as much as they can about your specific situation. It is good to have some ideas yourself about what your possible defenses are, especially since you will have the best understanding of what happened during the incident and what your intentions were.

Is seat belt use less common at night?

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in Car Accidents on Friday, March 16, 2018.

For drivers and passengers alike, there are various steps that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of a crash or the consequences of a wreck should one occur. For example, everyone riding in a vehicle should wear their seat belt. Unfortunately, some people do not, whether they simply do not care or accidentally forget to buckle up. Failing to wear a seat belt can be dangerous in the event of an accident and there may be times when this behavior is more common.

According to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belt use was less common among those who passed away in motor vehicle crashes which occurred at night in comparison to accidents which happened during daytime hours. In fact, a chart which outlined restraint use and the time of day showed that restraint use generally declined further as the night progressed, picking up in the early morning hours.

What are some causes of workplace traffic crashes?

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in workers' compensation on Friday, March 9, 2018.

Motor vehicle collisions take place for various reasons, whether someone is involved in a multi-vehicle wreck while driving home from a major event that resulted in traffic congestion or a driver veers off of the road due to ice and collides with a tree. However, many people are hurt in accidents that occur while they are working, whether they drive a large truck, a taxi, or are operating a company vehicle for any number of reasons.

These accidents can leave employees with all sorts of challenges, including physical and emotional pain, financial problems, as well as an inability to continue their career. Moreover, these crashes can be tough for employers as well. As a result, it is important for employers and employees alike to understand some of the reasons why workplace traffic wrecks occur.

Using neuroscience as a criminal defense: How it's being done

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in blog on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.

Every defendant accused of a crime will have a wide array of defense strategies available to assist him or her to reduce the threat of conviction, or diminish the severity of punishments if conviction is unavoidable. Some of these strategies are riskier than others.

One such high-risk defense strategy is the defense of being insane, or the defense of being out of one's mind and not knowing what was happening when the alleged crime took place. That said, if such a defense is successful, it could allow an accused person to achieve a verdict of not guilty, so it shouldn't be ignored when all other bets are off.

GPS and the risk of an accident

On behalf of Christina Rivenbark & Associates posted in Car Accidents on Monday, March 5, 2018.

Drivers become distracted in many ways, such as eating food or using a cell phone. In fact, even tools that are used to assist drivers, such as a map or GPS, can make a crash more likely. Whether a driver takes his or her eyes off the road to look at a GPS or is unsure about the directions it has provided and discusses the route with someone else in the vehicle, these distractions can be deadly. Sadly, drivers who are distracted pose a serious risk to anyone in their vehicle and the innocent lives of others on the road.

Aside from becoming distracted, a driver who is using their GPS may find themselves in a crash for other reasons. For example, someone may not be familiar with the roads, which may increase the chances that an accident will occur. A lack of familiarity can make it more likely for drivers to ignore signs or even turn onto a one-way street. Moreover, someone who has never driven in a particular area might be distracted by trying to read signs or look for landmarks, especially if traffic is heavily congested or roads tend to be confusing.

We can help you through this