Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton showed remarkable durability by bouncing back from an early December traffic accident to deliver a strong performance twelve days later against the Cleveland Browns.
Newton’s athletic performance was particularly impressive considering that the Panther’s quarterback fractured two small bones in his lower back Dec. 9 when he was involved in an automobile crash near Bank of America stadium.
Newton’s rollover accident near the Panthers’ stadium reminds us that we’re all vulnerable on the roadways, no matter how far from home or work. Most people don’t have the build of an NFL player or the ability to withstand such a traumatic blow.
According to an ESPN report, Newton was traveling at the posted 35 mph speed limit. Another vehicle pulled into the path of his pickup truck, causing a collision that made his vehicle roll and come to rest on its side.
The Charlotte Observer reported that Newton’s truck flipped several times after a Buick Verano sedan tried to turn in front of him. The quarterback crawled out of the truck’s back seat and sat on the sidewalk, “apparently dazed.”
Fortunately Newton was wearing his seatbelt. He and the driver of the other vehicle were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Charlotte Mecklenburg Police did not cite either driver in connection with the crash.
Most people involved in rollover crashes aren’t as fortunate as Newton. Motorists and their passengers are killed and seriously injured in car wrecks across the state of North Carolina every day.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 1,289 fatalities in North Carolina in 2013. That’s down from 1,573 a decade ago but still far too many lives lost. Many accidents could be averted if motorists focused on the task of driving.
Speeding, drunk driving, distractions and motor vehicle problems cause most crashes that kill and injure people. Yet people continue to drive too fast, drink and drive, and fiddle with cell phones and other technological gadgets instead of giving complete attention to the task of driving.
Cam Newton’s wreck drew national media attention because he is a Heisman Trophy winner and National Football League quarterback. But he is proof that regardless of your celebrity status, you are at risk of a collision every time you hit the streets.
If you are involved in a wreck caused by another driver in North Carolina, contact an experienced car crash attorney who can help you determine if you are eligible to file a claim for damages. Your crash might not make headlines as Newton’s did. But you will need help navigating the legal system to ensure you present the strongest claim for full compensation.
