Moped Rider Killed in Mount Airy Accident After Minivan Driver Swerves Into Oncoming Traffic

An accident in Mount Airy, NC, had tragic consequences for a Moped rider on Thursday night, July 30.

Authorities say Burt Ford Reed, 56, was driving his Moped east on NC 268 near the intersection with Bray Ford Road, a little after 9 PM. He was hit head-on by a Ford Windstar minivan driven by Britt Lee King, 44, who was heading west on NC 268.

The police report goes on to say that King swerved across the yellow line into oncoming traffic because a truck in front of him had stopped, and he was trying to avoid hitting it. Sadly, the minivan crashed into the Moped instead, and Reed was pronounced dead at the scene.

Swerving accidents sometimes happen because of unpredictable circumstances, like another vehicle running a stop sign. However, they can also happen when a driver stops short for any reason, and the driver behind them can’t stop in time. In some cases, a larger vehicle like a truck may block the view of a smaller vehicle like a Moped, leaving the driver behind them to think there’s no one in the oncoming lane. Because it is not always possible to predict when a vehicle in front of you may come to an abrupt halt, the best way to prevent these kinds of accidents is to maintain a safe following distance, which will give you more time to stop in an emergency.

If you know a surviving family member of a person who was injured or killed in an accident, please encourage them to contact our firm immediately. The consultation is completely free, with no out-of-pocket cost to the family to hire us.

For over 25 years the attorneys at Auger & Auger have been dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals and families that have suffered injuries or lost loved ones due to the negligence of others. We have years of experience guiding and helping our clients every step of the way to receive compensation for aspects such as medical bills, funeral costs, and other monetary loss. 

Editorial Note: At A&A we are always looking to improve the quality and safety and are saddened by the outcome of many tragic accidents across the Carolinas. The purpose of this news blog is to write about cases relevant to our industry and raise awareness about injury cases so that victims of similar incidents can educate themselves on theories of liability, the law, and how personal injury cases typically work. This article is created using publicly available information and is a secondary source. If you find any information here to be inaccurate, please notify us at vip@augerlaw.com, and we will make the appropriate adjustments.