Northport, Alabama Automobile Accident Attorney

Northport, Alabama, nestled across the Black Warrior River from Tuscaloosa, is a thriving city of some 31,000 residents. The city forms part of the Tuscaloosa metro area. While it is a charming and scenic community, it faces growing pains that affect its traffic system. Ongoing improvements are promising, yet construction zones and rush-hour volumes require strategic planning. While not all these issues cause car accidents in Northport, they do make the traffic infrastructure more fragile and prone to roadway incidents.

The skilled Northport car accident attorneys at Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. regularly handle cases involving individuals injured in Northport and its surrounding areas. We understand the devastation that even a minor accident can cause within your family, your work life, and your general physical and mental well-being. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a car accident in the Northport area, be sure to contact us for a free and confidential consultation. We do not get paid unless we recover money for you, so you have no reason not to call. All cases are handled on a contingency fee basis which means our fee is conditioned upon a monetary recovery for you. You can reach us via phone at 205.324.3600 or 844.LAW.TALK or online here.

Due to its growth, Northport grapples with ongoing traffic issues and challenges, especially along major thoroughfares like McFarland Boulevard and the Hugh R. Thomas Bridge. Daily congestion is exacerbated by commuter surges into, and out of, Tuscaloosa and significant event-related volumes tied to the University of Alabama.

Efforts to improve flow have been underway, including ALDOT’s addition of turn lanes and signal upgrades at the MS-82/SR-69 junction, aiming to reduce traffic problems and improve access for businesses. Moreover, upcoming infrastructure projects—such as a planned capacity increase and signal enhancements on Lurleen Wallace Boulevard, and potential bypass routes like the long-discussed Tuscaloosa Eastern Bypass—are designed to relieve the core traffic burden. Nevertheless, ongoing lane closures and delays, prompting travelers to rely on solutions like ALGO Traffic for real-time updates.

Several key areas to be aware of while driving.

• Hugh R. Thomas Bridge (US-43/SR-69): A critical 6-lane river crossing linking Northport and Tuscaloosa, this bridge handles more than 68,000 vehicles per day. Heavy traffic volume, especially during commuter peaks and university events, often lead to slowdowns, backups and rear-end collisions.
• McFarland Boulevard (US-82) and SR-69 Intersection: Historically congested, this intersection has been undergoing significant upgrades, including new turn lanes, signal enhancements, and concrete islands, to ease flow. More than 50,000 daily trips frequently jam this stretch and lead to a variety of car accidents.
• SR-216 and Lock 17 Road (Brookwood area): State-driven resurfacing and guardrail work are active, potentially causing delays due to a flagger-controlled section.

While there are a host of driving and traffic related issues in Northport, a few specific areas are of note:

• Construction Zones: Construction is frequent in key corridors such as US-82, SR-69, MLK, and Hospital Drive. Use ALDOT’s ALGO Traffic app for current alerts before you travel.
• Peak-Hour Congestion: Bridge and US-82/SR-69 generally are crowded and intensify commute delays.
• Event Traffic: University of Alabama games and events in Tuscaloosa will spill over into Northport, impacting river crossings.

There are several ways to navigate key high-traffic and dangerous areas:

• Avoid peak commute windows if possible.
• Use ALGO Traffic or ViaMichelin apps for real-time flow updates.
• Consider alternative routes: Consider roads like Byler Road for local travel. SR-297/Tuscaloosa Eastern Bypass may eventually ease congestion.

If you are involved in a traffic accident in Northport—no matter how minor—your first move should be to stop immediately and ensure everyone’s safety. Alabama law requires this step. Call 911 to report the accident and request medical assistance for any injured parties. The Northport Police or Alabama State Troopers will investigate the car accident and create an official crash report. Ensuring that an Alabama Uniform Traffic Crash Report is completed by law enforcement is crucial for insurance claims and any potential legal action.

If you’re physically able, safely move your vehicle off the roadway, activate hazard lights, and document the scene: take clear photos of property damage, road conditions, skid marks, vehicle positions, and any visible injuries. Exchange names, contact information, drivers’ license numbers, license plates, and insurance details with other parties. Always avoid admitting fault or apologizing, as Alabama’s strict contributory negligence rule could mean even a slight admission could hurt your claim. If there are witnesses at the scene, make sure and get their name(s) and contact information as independent witnesses oftentimes prove critical to the success of a case. Also, many times the investigating police officer fails to identify witnesses on the accident report.

After a car accident, seek medical treatment or an evaluation—even if you feel fine—to identify any injuries and create medical records to support your case. The pain and discomfort associated with many injuries, especially back and neck pain, do not surface until a day or so later. If you fail to get medical treatment within a reasonable time frame following a car wreck, the automobile insurance companies will certainly use this against you when evaluating your claim. They will contend that your complaints or problems were caused by some other event or incident, not the car wreck, given how much time has passed between the car accident and your first recorded medical treatment.

Report the crash to your own insurance company within the timeframe specified in your policy, providing the police report and documentation you gathered. Many people want to avoid reporting an accident to their own insurance company due to a concern that their premiums will go up. However, you are required under the insurance policy to notify them of an accident. Also, just because you notify your insurance company of a car wreck does not mean that you have to make a claim on your insurance. Our attorneys always pursue claims FIRST against the insurance company for the at-fault driver, not our client’s insurance company. Be sure you contact the trusted Northport car accident attorneys at Hollis, Wright & Clay, P.C. to handle the intricacies of your case while you rest and recover.

Remember we don’t get paid unless we recover financially for you. So, you take no risk by calling us to help you. You will never come out of your own pocket if you engage our legal services. Let us handle the details of your claim while you heal from your accident. Call for your FREE and CONFIDENTIAL consultation at 205.324.3600 or 844.LAW.TALK or online here.