Summer, Motorcycle Events to Draw Hundreds of Riders to North Carolina

With summer right around the corner and warm weather here to stay, North Carolina will naturally see an influx in the number of motorcycle riders on our public roads and highways. While some riders may be passing through or touring local cities as part of summer rides, others are traveling directly to North Carolina communities to celebrate several motorcycle events. These include the upcoming Hog Happenin’ and Smoke Out 18.

  • Hog Happenin’ – Hog Happenin’ is a regional bike fest that also features the North Carolina State Championship Barbeque Cook-Off. It takes place on June 2 and 3, 2017. During this upcoming weekend, riders and barbeque teams will be traveling from across North Carolina and surrounding states to attend the event in downtown Lincolnton, northwest of Charlotte in Lincoln County.The event draws hundreds of motorcycle riders and numerous barbeque teams that often travel with trailers or larger vehicles. This sudden influx in motor vehicle traffic, especially when many riders and motorists are from out of town and may not be familiar with local roads or laws, can create a number of risks for everyone on the road.
  • Smoke Out 18 – Smoke Out 18 is an annual motorcycle event held in Rockingham, North Carolina from June 16 -17. Each year, the event draws numerous riders from across the region, as well as other attendees who travel by motor vehicle to enjoy the entertainment, vendors, and festivities. Unfortunately, this means a weekend filled with additional traffic and increased risks of auto accidents.

Although this time of year can be great for hitting the town on your bike, heading out on a road trip, or attending local rallies and events, the increase in traffic, out-of-town motorists on vacation and alcohol-impaired motorists can make the summer months some of the most dangerous months of the year. In fact, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is referred to as the ‘100 Deadliest Days of Summer’ by AAA. This is because the summer months historically see an increase in traffic wrecks, injuries, and deaths.

If you have plans to enjoy local events as a motorcycle rider or motorist, or if you are simply a local resident who needs to head out on the road, our Hickory personal injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor want to remind you that there are increased risks on our roadways and that safety should always be a top priority. To help you stay safe, we have put together some key points about these risks and what you can do to protect yourself and those around you.

  • Increased traffic – Rallies like Hog Happenin’, Smoke Out 18, and other regional events bring a surge in traffic to our local communities. This can be dangerous for anyone on our public roads, and especially for motorcycle riders who can be easily overseen by drivers of passenger vehicles. Whether you are a rider or a motorist, be sure to always be vigilant when on the road and to make sure that the coast is clear before you make any driving maneuvers, such as changing lanes, making turns, or entering an intersection.
  • Tourists – An increase in traffic is not the only concern during the summer months when events and celebrations are common. Riders and motorists who come from other cities or states are common in the surge of traffic, and they may not always be familiar with local roadways, highways, or local laws. As such, they pose risks of causing wrecks when they travel slowly, disobey local laws, or when they make sudden moves after missing a turn or exit. Protect yourself by always following at a safe distance, devoting your full attention to the road, and being prepared to make a move.
  • Driver / rider impairment – The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer earn their name in large part due to increases in alcohol-related accidents. After all, these events and the summer months are a time when Americans choose to kick back and enjoy themselves with alcohol. If you plan on consuming alcohol, make sure you do so responsibly and that you never ride or drive under the influence; doing so puts the lives of others at risk. It can also increase your chances of being involved in a crash. For example, the NHTSA notes that close to half of all single-motorcycle wrecks involve a rider who was impaired by alcohol. If you plan on drinking, make sure you have a plan to not ride or drive. This includes having a sober ride, calling a cab or rideshare service, or staying the night where you plan on celebrating. Alcohol-related accidents have significant consequences, not only in terms of preventable injuries and death, but also criminal and civil liability for those who choose to get behind the wheel while impaired.
  • Distracted driving – With increased traffic and other risks, avoiding distractions on the road becomes even more important than it already is. All distractions should be avoided, including eating and drinking, reading maps, and of course, texting or using a cell phone. Whether you are on a bike or behind the wheel, driving should be your only task. Distracted drivers substantially increase risks of car wrecks, and can easily fail to see riders when they take their eyes off the road. They can also be held liable when their negligence causes preventable wrecks.
  • Sharing the road – Sharing the road is important during this time of year. Remember, motorcycles are considered motor vehicles with all the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. Share the road by obeying the law, being aware of surrounding riders or motorists, using signals, and making yourself visible to traffic. When passing or following riders or motor vehicles, enough space should be given. By making the effort to respect the rights of others, many wrecks can be avoided.

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor is passionate about protecting the rights of victims who suffer injuries in preventable wrecks, including motorcycle accidents. Because we know riders commonly suffer serious injuries in collisions, we fight aggressively to help them pursue the compensation they need to cover damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. If you have questions about pursuing a personal injury claim, contact us for a FREE consultation.

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Notice of Data Security Event
Updated March 28, 2025

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor is providing notice of an event that may affect certain individuals’ information. Although we have no indication of identity theft or fraud in relation to this event, we are providing information about the event, our response, and additional measures individuals can take to help protect their information, should they feel it appropriate to do so.

What Happened? On October 28, 2024, The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor identified suspicious activity related to our email system. We quickly took steps to investigate and determined that an unknown actor may have accessed certain emails within our email system between August 7 and November 7, 2024. We then conducted a comprehensive review of the potentially affected emails and attachments to determine what information was contained therein and to whom the information related, which was completed on February 25, 2025. Unfortunately, we were unable to verify the addresses of certain affected individuals, so we are providing this notice to ensure potentially affected individuals receive information about the event.

What Information Was Involved? The information affected may include individuals’ Social Security number, driver’s license and state ID information, financial account number, and health information.

What We Are Doing. We are notifying individuals about this matter and providing guidance about free resources that are available to assist with monitoring relevant accounts, credit reports, and how to place a fraud alert or security freeze on one’s credit file. Further, as with our typical security practices, we will continue to evaluate our policies, procedures, staff training, and technical security measures to reduce the likelihood of an event like this reoccurring.

What Individuals Can Do. We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. We also recommend you review the below “Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Personal Information”.

For More Information. If individuals have questions about this matter, we have a dedicated assistance line with agents ready to answer their questions. Please contact our toll-free dedicated assistance line at 1-800-939-4170, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. through 9 p.m., excluding holidays. You may also write to us at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, Attn: Compliance, P.O. Box 2688, Hickory, NC 28603.

Sincerely,

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor

STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Monitor Your Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.

Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/help/

https://www.transunion.com/credit-help
1-888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Additional Information

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state attorney general. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state attorney general. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; 1-202-442-9828; and oag.dc.gov.

For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-576-6300 or 1-888-743-0023; and https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/.

For New Mexico residents, consumers have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in their credit file has been used against them, the right to know what is in their credit file, the right to ask for their credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to consumers’ files is limited; consumers must give consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; consumers may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance based on information in their credit report; and consumers may seek damages from violators. Consumers may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage consumers to review their rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580.

For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov.

For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.

For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; 1-401-274-4400; and www.riag.ri.gov. Under Rhode Island law, individuals have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this event.
STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT A MINOR DEPENDENT’S PERSONAL INFORMATION

Typically, credit reporting agencies do not have a credit report in a minor’s name. To find out if a minor has a credit report or to request a manual search for a minor’s Social Security number each credit bureau has its own process. To learn more about these processes or request these services, consumers may contact the credit bureaus by phone, writing, or online:
Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/request-child-credit-report/
https://www.experian.com/help/minor-request.html
https://www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resources/child-identity-theft

1-800-685-1111 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013 P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

To request information about the existence of a credit file in a minor’s name, search for a minor’s Social Security number, place a security freeze or fraud alert on a minor’s credit report (if one exists), or request a copy of a minor’s credit report consumers may be required to provide the following information:
● A copy of their driver’s license or another government issued identification card, such as a state identification card, etc.;
● Proof of address, such as a copy of a bank statement, utility bill, insurance statement, etc.;
● A copy of the minor’s birth certificate;
● A copy of the minor’s Social Security card;
● The minor’s full name, including middle initial and generation, such as JR, SR, II, III, etc.;
● The minor’s date of birth; and
● The minor’s previous addresses for the past two years.

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