Three injured in area crash involving black ice

The Charlotte area has had a relatively rare spell of snowy and icy weather this winter, and that has contributed to an increased number of car accidents.

One such personal injury left at least one person with injuries police called life-threatening, while two other people were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries of unknown severity. The crash happened on Interstate 485 near the time of the morning rush hour, and police are saying one of the victims was lucky to be alive.

Police were blaming speeding and the presence of black ice as the causes of this accident. They say a motorist was traveling too fast for the conditions when the driver’s vehicle ran over a patch of black ice. Black ice can form when winter precipitation melts during the warmer daytime but then refreezes at night. It is very slick and, because of its darker color, can be very difficult to spot on the road.

The driver lost control and went careening in to other vehicles and a median barrier which, thankfully, protected the vehicle form the oncoming traffic. In addition to the barrier, police are also attributing the use of seatbelts as the reason why this accident was not worse than it was.

Particularly when ice is a possibility, Charlotte drivers need to slow down and pay careful attention to the road. While it admittedly could have been worse, in this case, a speeding driver appears to have caused an injury accident. Victims may be able to get compensation for the driver who was responsible for this collision. Compensation can be for things like medical bills, lost wages, and non-economic damages.