Author: Anthony Proffitt

It was 3 o’clock in the morning and the Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper was working inside his stopped vehicle on some documents when a tractor-trailer travelled toward his and collided with the sergeant’s car. Knoxville residents may remember the story about the state trooper’s car accident, from which he has been recovering ever since it occurred last March. The officer is reportedly doing very well considering, but continues to await the day when he can return to full service.

It’s a very scary thought to have when you remember that it’s not just about how safely you drive, but how safely other drivers are doing so as well. There are times, unfortunately, when an accident takes someone completely by surprise and there’s not usually time to react in those instances. We have talked a lot about safety and how to be a mindful driver, but this accident involving this THP trooper happened while his vehicle was stopped and reportedly due to the other driver having fallen asleep at the wheel.

As scary as it can be, it is important to do as much as possible to keep yourself out of harm’s way when around other drivers. In this case, the victim of the crash is able to move around now, however he does not have full mobility above his neck due to the fusing of some of his vertebrae after the crash. Such serious injuries can have a dramatic impact on one’s life even after they are well enough to get back to work.

Tennessee drivers know how dangerous other people on the road can be and practice the ways to stay safe themselves, but there are some times when an accident is out of one’s control. Understanding what to do after an accident is something a victim of a similar accident might want to pursue. Distracted driving can be one of the most dangerous causes of accidents and making sure you or your loved ones know how to proceed after being involved in such an accident may help with regards to lost wages or employment such as in this state trooper’s case.

Source: knoxnews.com, “Injured THP trooper on slow road to recovery,” Matt Lakin, Jan. 14, 2013

· Our firm handles personal injury cases involving motor vehicle accidents. To learn more, visit the automobile accident page on our Prior, Priest & Harber website.

A new year brings a new legislative table. One proposal was announced earlier this week as being open for deliberation regarding the noise levels of cars and the safety features to help alert pedestrians and bicyclists when quiet cars are around or approaching. So many car accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere involve pedestrians and they can be much more dangerous to someone who isn’t in an enclosed vehicle with a seatbelt or airbags.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced this proposal in hopes that it would be able to prevent many such unwanted accidents. The noise levels of such vehicles as hybrids or electronic ones are much quieter that those of vehicles that run on fuel-based engines, making it more difficult for a pedestrian to be aware of their presence. The initiative states that all automobiles would have to acquiesce to the mandated noise levels laid out by the proposal when going under 18 miles per hour. The report mentions that the 18mph cap is due to the fact that after that speed, vehicles make enough noise on their own to be detectable.

While the proposal continues on through deliberation, some other industry automakers are already noted as having been producing similar devices to warn pedestrians. The devices make certain noises while the vehicle is operating at low speeds – similar to the directions of the proposal – however, they reportedly would be an added on feature that a consumer could purchase.

Tennessee residents may be interested in watching what becomes of this proposal and how it could affect their communities. For those who have been in an accident as a pedestrian and suffered injuries from it, working with an attorney could help in receiving some compensation for the injuries sustained or any work missed.

Source: truckinginfo.com, “NHTSA proposes new minimum sound requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles,” Jan. 9, 2013

As bizarre as it may sound, one Tennessee family received quite the ringing in of the new year last week when a car crashed into the front of their home. A report explains that the young man driving was unable to slow the car down and as he traveled down a hill, couldn’t stop before striking the home of the innocent not-quite-bystanders.

An investigation was said to be ongoing at the time of the report, however it was reported that the young man was using his brake pedals, yet they were not responding. In cases like this, all factors will likely have to be taken into account in order to find out what, if any, kind of negligence or wrongdoing may have occurred.

The family now has a gaping home; the front wide and open for the neighbors to see. The husband explains that they had heard the crash and thought to turn off all of their electricity breakers and only after that did they realize that a car had plowed into their home. Their dining room and kitchen are now apparently squished and broken.

It is odd circumstances such as this that could involve painstaking amounts of paperwork and insurance fees. For the family, luckily no harm was reported to have come to them, but they may wish to follow up after the investigation to see what kinds of damages they may be owed. For the young driver, it may behoove him as well to understand exactly what malfunctioned in his brakes to cause the accident, if so. Such an issue could result in compensation for him as well.

Tennessee car accidents like this can literally come completely unexpected as most people usually understand such an accident to happen on a road, not involving a home. Often though, these accidents are messy and confusing and working with an experienced attorney could help to understand all of your options as you begin to repair the damage.

Source: wbbjtv.com, “Car crashes into Jackson home,” Jan. 2, 2013

A lot goes into buying a car. First there are the commercials; then the cars that catch your eye out on the road and then comes the internet search. While perusing the various makers and models that fit a Tennessee resident’s criteria, one of the biggest questions to ask is ‘Will I be kept safe in the event of an accident?’ One way to find an answer is to look into the ratings the car you’re looking at has scored on various different crash and performance tests.

Being an informed driver is one of the best things someone can do to prevent an accident – and that includes being informed about all aspects of driving. In a recent report detailing the findings of the Institute for Highway Safety’s latest crash test scores revealed that cars of a certain category (midsized family vehicles in this test) may not be as safe in a crash as some would think. The curve-breakers would be the Honda Accord and Suzuki Kizashi; both scoring the top spot of “Good.” The lowest? Toyota Camry and Toyota Prius v with scores of “Poor.” 

The tests administered were reported to be focused on the impact of the crash to the car’s body and damage from front, sides, and rear, the damage done to the dummy inside the car and where their injuries would be, would it have been a real person. Other aspects of the cars tested were the safety features, including airbags and safety belts. An interesting note made in the report was that the most damage seemed to commonly occur to the legs of the dummies in lower-ranking vehicles.

For Tennessee residents who are looking at buying a car, this study may be of service to see where yours would rank. Should someone who has been in an accident find that their vehicle had a malfunction or improperly working mechanism that led to the accident or injury, working with an attorney to understand fully what options are available to you may help. As safe as we can learn how to be on the roads, the safety that our vehicles offer us is just as important.

Source: examiner.com, “Honda Accord, Suzuki Kizashi lead in new crash test; Toyota Camry, Prius v fail,” Brady Holt, Dec. 20, 2012

Driving a motor vehicle that has one of its mechanisms working incorrectly can be one of the scariest things for a driver. Tennessee drivers trust that the cars we buy are manufactured to their safest potential and when the result of a problematic devise in a car is an accident, the effects can be devastating. Honda recently announced one of its recalls due to one such faulty mechanism, coming after several reported accidents.

The recall involves some 870,000 different vehicles, all with an automatic transmission and all from at least six years ago, if not older. The specific models included are some of the Odyssey and Pilot models (from the years 2003 and 2004), as well as a specific amount of Acuras made between 2003 and 2006. Their problem reportedly is with the ignition lock mechanism, which becomes less effective over time.

The lock is supposed to engage when the keys are inserted into the ignition and they have been reported to lose their grip over time, causing the cars, which may not be in the parked gear, to be able to roll away. Without this important safety feature performing its duty, accidents such as the 16 noted ones become more and more possible. There have only been two reported cases of injuries being sustained, however: one involving a man being rolled over by his van.

For Tennessee drivers who are using these specific Honda models, the company has announced that those who have trouble with this problem will be able to have a dealer repair the interlock device. As well, the registered owners of these vehicles will receive their notice of the recall come early 2013. Should a resident believe that they have been involved in a car accident due to an issue such as this, understanding the rights you retain regarding personal injury and compensation could help with the unforeseen medical costs.

Source: usatoday.com, “Honda recalls 870,000 minivans, SUVs,” The Associated Press, Dec. 12, 2012