Author: Anthony Proffitt

If you are one of the many people who are somewhat hesitant to navigate Nashville roadways in the dark, you may have good reason. Driving at nighttime can increase your risk of getting into an auto accident by nearly three times, according to the National Safety Council. Although there are several reasons why nighttime driving can be hazardous, headlight glare may be one of the most common hazards drivers encounter.

Bright headlights that shine in your eyes while you’re driving can affect you in a number of ways, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. First, it can cause temporary blindness, as it can take several moments for your eyes to recover once they have been hit by an intense glare. During this time, your vision may limited and it can be difficult to see other objects and drivers on the road. As a result, you may experience decreased reaction times to driving hazards as well. In addition, headlight glare can reduce your range of visibility, which means that you may not be able to see as far as you normally would.

Studies have been conducted to detect how to limit, reduce or even eliminate headlight glare. The NHTSA reported that the height at which the headlights are mounted, as well as what type of light source is used can affect glare. In addition, some headlights are aimed at different angles, such as slightly upward or downward, which can induce serious glare as well.

This information is intended to be used for educational purposes and should not be taken as legal advice. 

As people navigate the roadways of Nashville, a number of them may be engaged in activities other than driving, like changing the radio station, searching for something in the backseat or carrying on a conversation over the phone. While this may seem innocent, research published by AAA shows that people who are involved in tasks other than driving are more likely to be involved in a serious car accident.

The issue stems from the brain’s inability to efficiently multi-task. Drivers may feel as though they are able to maintain a conversation over the phone while concentrating on the road. However, the opposite is true. The National Safety Council refers to this phenomenon as inattention blindness, and it occurs when drivers are mentally distracted. Rather than focus on both tasks simultaneously, the brain switches quickly back and forth between each task. As a result, there are moments when the distracted driver is not at all focused on driving.

When drivers are cognitively distracted, they are not able to see up to 50 percent of the information in their driving field of vision. Furthermore, they are less likely respond to certain driving hazards, like objects in the road, pedestrian crosswalks, bicyclists, bad weather conditions and reckless drivers. People who are cognitively distracted are more inclined to run red lights without even knowing it, and a number of auto accidents have occurred due to this inattention. Researchers encourage drivers to put away their cellphones while they are behind the wheel in order to increase not only their own safety, but the safety of everyone else on the road.

Although speed limits are set to ensure the safety of motorists on the road, a number of people choose to violate these restrictions while behind the wheel. Not only is this dangerous to the speeding driver and the passengers in the vehicle, but speeding threatens other motorists lives as well. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driving at a high rate of speed is one of the leading contributors to car accidents in the Tennessee and throughout the U.S.

Speeding is dangerous for good reason. Drivers who speed lose the ability to stop quickly or respond to hazards in the road, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, animals or other drivers. Furthermore, cars, trucks and motorcycles are unable to turn sharp corners when going faster than the designated speed limit. Ice, high winds, rain, fog and snow can make speeding even more treacherous, as vehicles are more likely to skid, slide, tip over or jackknife in bad weather conditions. When vehicles travel at a high speed, the distance needed to come to a complete stop increases. This can make it difficult to come to a sudden stop.

The current speed limit on most rural and urban interstates in Tennessee is 70 mph, which is comparable to most states in the country. USA Today reported, however, that studies show when the speed limit increases, the number of fatal car accidents also rises. Accidents that occur at high speeds can leave victims with severe injuries, including serious fractures, spinal cord injuries, brain trauma and even paralysis. 

Since teenage drivers are inexperienced and just learning the rules of the road, Tennessee has incorporated a graduated driver’s license program to gently ease teens into the world of driving. It is important to know the rules of the program in order to ensure teens are on the right track to receiving their driver’s licenses. Furthermore, teens can reduce their risk of becoming injured or killed in a serious car accident by adhering to the program regulations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that GDL laws can reduce teenage motor vehicle accident fatalities by up to 50 percent.

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, there are three phases that teens must pass through in order to receive their driver’s license. These include the following:

•          Learners permit
•          Intermediate restricted license
•          Intermediate unrestricted license

Each phase has specific restrictions regarding how many passengers the teen can have in the vehicle with them while they are driving, the ages of the passengers as well as the time of day in which the teen can be on the road.

At the age of 15, teens can begin driving with a learners permit, but only with when accompanied by a driver who is 21 years of age or older. Once a teenager reaches the age of 16 and has had a permit for at least 180 days, he or she can apply for an intermediate restricted license. If a teen has more than one seat belt violation or causes a car accident, he or she may not be eligible to move to the next phase. At 17 years old, a teen may obtain an unrestricted driver’s license, after they have had a restricted license for at least one year and have met all other requirements. 

Whether you are a senior driver in Tennessee or you have an elderly motorist in your family, it is important to understand how driving is different for people as they age. Why does the risk of becoming seriously injured or dying in a traffic accident increase for drivers over the age of 65? In fact, there are several reasons why the aging adult may have difficulties behind the wheel and why these problems could lead to a devastating auto accident.

One of the most common reasons, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, is that as people age, they often experience a decline in their ability to see. This includes poor night vision, color vision and peripheral vision, all of which are essential for driver safety. When people are unable to judge the distance of an oncoming vehicle and/or the speed of traffic, they may be unable to make good choices regarding turns and speed.

Many seniors naturally develop a delayed response time, and it may take seniors longer to process crucial information about their driving environment. When mixed with heavy traffic conditions, inclement weather or distracted driving, this slow reaction time could be deadly in certain situations.

In addition, seniors are more likely to be taking prescription medication for medical conditions that could affect their ability to drive. In some cases, the mere presence of physical and/or psychological conditions could influence the way people act and react to hazards on the road.

This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.