On Sunday, a one-vehicle crash took the life of an Asheville woman. According to WLOS ABC News Channel 13, the wreck happened at about 4:30 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-40. At this time, very few details have been released, but we do know that the sole occupant of the car, 21-year-old Patricia Joyce Terbeek, was killed in the wreck. For currently unknown reasons, the automobile drifted across three lanes. The car grazed a sign, rotated and flipped. Terbeek was ejected from the car.
Fatal Crash in Asheville
First responders and crews were on the scene for hours, investigating and clearing the wreckage. Terbeek was in a Hyundai sedan at the time of the crash, and there’s no word on whether or not she was buckled up. The cause of this crash is still under investigation with local law enforcement authorities. No other cars were involved in this fatal crash.
Motor Vehicle Fatalities Across The U.S.
Although there haven’t been any officially reported numbers released yet, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an early estimate of motor vehicle fatalities in 2014. Initial statistical projections show that an estimated 32,675 people were killed in crashes across the country. If this projection is correct, there has been a small decrease in traffic crash fatalities across the country.
U.S. Traffic Crash Facts
- In 2012, there were 30,800 fatal crashes that took the lives of 33,561 people.
- In 2011, there were 29,867 fatal crashes that killed 32,479 people across the U.S.
- An estimated 2,362,000 people were injured in crashes in 2012.
- In 2011, an estimated 2,217,000 people were injured in traffic crashes.
- In 2012, nationwide seat belt usage was at 86 percent.
- Speeding was a factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes in 2012.
Traffic Accidents in Asheville
If you have been injured of if you have lost a loved one in a crash in or around the Asheville area, contact a skilled lawyer as soon as possible. It many cases, additional investigative measures may be necessary. With record high numbers of recalls, it’s essential to rule out a potentially dangerous defect as the cause of a crash.
The team at Davis Law Group, P.A. sends their deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Patricia Joyce Terbeek.