North Carolina Car Accident Laws 2025 – All You Need to Know

Car accidents can be confusing and stressful for the involved drivers. Busy urban areas like Durham, Charleston, and Raleigh report plenty of vehicle crashes with serious injuries. After an accident, you may be curious about North Carolina car accident laws and your legal rights. Roberts Law Firm, P.A., shares information about current car accident laws and some common causes.

North Carolina Car Accident Laws

Many people are victims when driving into Charleston on I-85 or when using I-40 to travel out towards the naturally beautiful Hickory. If you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle accident, understanding the applicable laws is important.

In many states, the driver who caused an accident is responsible for paying for the property damages and injuries after a car accident. Across the Tar Heel State, we have a contributory negligence rule, which can affect your overall financial recovery.

With contributory negligence, if your own actions may have caused the accident at all, you are unable to receive damages. If you’re determined to be even 1% responsible for the accident, you might not be able to recover compensation from the other driver. This is a complicated area of the law, and it’s worth speaking with a trusted car accident attorney about this system of legal responsibility and how it may affect your accident recovery.

Also, you have a duty to stop after an accident to determine if anyone is hurt and provide help if necessary. You have a duty to report your car accident to local law enforcement if it results in an injury, a fatality, or vehicle/property damage of at least $1,000.

As per the latest car accident statistics in a city like Gastonia, NC, crash numbers and injuries continue to rise, making legal guidance more important than ever. Under North Carolina law, if you were in a car accident, you can file a claim with your insurance company. Consider speaking with an attorney before filing your insurance claim with your carrier. An attorney can help gather evidence to support your account of what happened during the accident. Plus, they can help calculate your damages, and they can often maximize your financial recovery.

An experienced, locally licensed attorney can also discuss filing a claim for personal injuries against the at-fault driver. An attorney can provide information to help you make an informed decision about your legal options after an accident. They can also explore the cause of your accident and investigate what happened.

Common Causes of North Carolina Car Accidents

Car accidents remain common across our state. The North Carolina DMV reported a total of 284,157 traffic crashes in 2023. Unfortunately, there were 1,686 people killed and 115,009 people injured due to car accidents.

With many interstate highways running through our state and about 10.8 million NC residents using the roads, it shouldn’t be a surprise that many serious, high-speed accidents happen on our busy roadways.

Accidents can happen because of:

• Negligent drivers
• Speeding
• Distracted driving
• Driving under the influence
• Reckless driving
• Poor weather conditions, especially during October’s stormy season and hurricane season
• Driver fatigue, which can impact cyclists sharing the road. Each year, about 20 cyclists are killed due to collisions.
• Poor roadway conditions
• Car failures

Regardless of the case of the accident, a collision is an upsetting experience. If you need help, an attorney can provide compassionate support throughout your case. An attorney can investigate your accident and share information about proactive steps to help protect your rights after an accident. Reach out to an attorney from our team. We are ready to advocate for you and your accident recovery.

FAQs

Is North Carolina Considered an At-Fault State for Car Collisions?

Yes, North Carolina is an at-fault state for car accidents, which means that the at-fault driver (or the person who caused the accident) is responsible for the resulting damages and injuries. If you want to pursue a claim for your losses, you need to prove the other driver is responsible for causing your accident.

An attorney can assist with gathering ample information to support your claim that the other driver is legally responsible for your accident. Consider contacting an attorney.

What Are Some of the Most Common Types of Car Accidents in NC?

Some of the most common types of car accidents in NC include rear-end accidents, sideswipes, T-bone accidents, and head-on collisions. Car wrecks can be single-car or multi-vehicle accidents. The type of car accident you are involved in usually correlates with the injuries you sustain.

After any kind of car accident, consider consulting an attorney who can investigate the accident, help establish fault, and maximize your recovery.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in NC?

In North Carolina, you have a deadline to file a personal injury case, called the statute of limitations. This deadline applies to car accident claims. You have three years from the date of the accident to file your claim, and if you fail to file your claim on time, you typically can’t pursue financial recovery for your losses.

Speak with a knowledgeable NC attorney who can make sure you file on time.

What Evidence Is Important After a Car Accident?

While every car accident case is different, the evidence that you gather can help boost your claim for damages. You can gather information to support your own claim by taking photographs at the scene, getting statements from any witnesses, and exchanging contact information with the other involved parties.

It’s important to get as much evidence as you can in order to support your claim that someone else was responsible for causing your accident.

Contact Trusted Car Accident Attorneys Today

Speak with the experienced personal injury attorneys at Roberts Law Firm, P.A., about your car accident today. We can answer your questions, address your concerns, and protect your legal rights after a car collision. We can build a compelling injury claim for your damages and losses, and we can often get you much more compensation than if you worked on your case alone.

Our law office is conveniently located in Gastonia, right off U.S. 74 and U.S. Route 321. Our accident attorneys have worked extensively with car insurance adjusters, and we can use our experience to help you navigate your car insurance claim. Contact our offices to schedule a case consultation.