Traffic engineers and drivers alike are legally obligated to try to make North Carolina roadways reasonably safe. Drivers must do their part to prevent personal injuries by limiting distractions and exercising due caution on the road, and a major aspect of a traffic engineer's job is to correct unsafe road conditions that might result in injury or property damage. Both of these issues were in question after a recent car accident that tragically took the lives of a young North Carolina couple.

The fatal collision happened in Cary. According to police, a 22-year-old woman from Raleigh was trying to make a left turn when her car was struck by a vehicle that was reportedly going seven miles per hour over the speed limit. The driver of the other car -- a 22-year-old woman from Apex -- was reportedly traveling at 52 miles per hour in a zone with a posted speed limit of 45. The young woman who was turning left and her 26-year-old boyfriend from Cary both suffered fatal injuries in the accident. At the time of a local news report, the police had not yet filed charges in the case.

After the accident, there were questions of whether the safety level of the site where the collision occurred might have been a significant factor. But according to Cary traffic engineers, the number of reported collisions at that location doesn't meet the criteria for installing a traffic light. However, the exact criteria for a traffic light were not reported.

When a tragic accident like this one occurs, sometimes a deeper analysis of the circumstances is necessary to determine the precise cause of a wreck and whether any party is at fault. People in North Carolina who have suffered injuries or lost a loved one usually have a lot of questions as to why an accident occurred. And if another party is found to be responsible, then those who have suffered as a result deserve compensation.

Source: wral.com, "Report: Car was speeding before fatal Cary collision," Feb. 14, 2012