Author: Anthony Proffitt

They say distracted driving is on the rise, and it doesn’t always involve cellphones or texting. Even playing with the radio can serve as a big and potentially dangerous distraction. A recent car accident on U.S. Highway 411 in Tennessee illustrates that point.

The two-vehicle crash happened near Big Z Lane on Friday afternoon when a 21-year-old man driving a 1976 Chevrolet Nova was headed north on the highway. A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper says that the man, who is from Maryville, was looking down and playing with the radio when he inadvertently crossed over into a passing lane, a center turn lane and then into a southbound passing lane.

According to the Daily Times, the man’s passenger alerted him to the fact that he was driving into oncoming traffic. He apparently swerved back into his lane when his vehicle was struck by a vehicle driven by a 48-year-old man of Madisonville. His Mercury Milan apparently struck the Chevrolet’s driver-side rear.

A passenger in the Milan was reportedly injured, although the extent of her injuries was not known. She was taken by ambulance to Blount Memorial for treatment. The trooper says that the driver of the Chevrolet will likely be cited for his role in the accident.

It’s perhaps not uncommon for a driver not paying attention to swerve a bit on the road. It’s something altogether different when a driver is so distracted that he veers across more than one lane of traffic. It can put lives at risk.

Source: The Daily Times, “Woman injured in two-vehicle accident on 411,” April 8, 2012

It seemed just like an ordinary day. A 10-year-old girl sat in the back passenger seat of her family’s vehicle as they drove to return some DVDs. But in one instant, everything changed.

Another car struck the family’s vehicle on the opposite side. The girl was wearing her seatbelt, which probably saved her life. She was severely injured and was paralyzed from the waist down in the car accident. But that hasn’t stopped her from returning to her favorite activities.

She spent 16 days at a Tennessee hospital following the crash, couldn’t sit up for two weeks and at first relied on a breathing tube. But after some intense physical therapy and rehabilitation, she returned to her small school — the only place she’s really known, her family says — and has been determined not to let the wheelchair she uses get in her way.

She loves rugby and began playing again about a month after the accident. She ice skated in a production of “The Nutcracker.” She’s also on her school’s cheerleading team. A photo featured on the Knoxville News Sentinel’s website shows her shooting hoops with friends at recess.

Her family says she has been determined and positive since the crash happened almost a year ago. Already, she says she knows she will walk again. Sometimes there is movement in her legs and she is hoping to be a candidate for leg braces that could help her walk. Her family, teachers and students at her school are gearing up for a 5K this weekend that will raise funds so she can go to the Project Walk Spinal Cord Injury Recover Center for further treatment.

Her attitude, perhaps more than anything, is the key. She tells the Sentinel, “My family takes it hard sometimes, and I do, too. But the accident is over, and I am not.”

Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, “Community rallies to help 10-year-old working toward walking again after paralyzing car accident,” Allison Rupp, March 27, 2012

Driving at a high rate of speed without wearing a seat belt can be an unfortunate combination. Speed may have been a factor in a rollover crash that left five Anderson County High School students injured yesterday afternoon, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The car accident happened on Andersonville Highway just after noon. The driver of an SUV apparently lost control while going around a curve, causing a rollover. Some of the passengers were ejected from the vehicle.

Pictures posted to WBIR’s website show skid marks where the vehicle exited the road. It also shows pictures of the vehicle, which appears completely totaled.

The students were taken to UT Medical Center for treatment. At least three of them were injured critically and flown to the medical center via Lifestar. One student with minor injuries was discharged from the hospital.

Three boys and two teenage girls were involved in the crash, according to WBIR. They were all apparently believed to be sophomores at the high school. The students were apparently on their way to go fishing and swimming when the crash occurred. They had the day off because ACT testing was taking place at the school.

Some friends of the victims went to the hospital, hoping for the best. One teen said he was “devastated, but at the same time you have to remain positive,” according to WBIR. He also says the accident was scary and motivated him to always wear his seat belt.

Source: WBIR, “Five Anderson County students were taken to UT Medical Center Tuesday after SUV crash off Andersonville Pike,” March 21, 2012

There might be a reason people get grumpy about losing an hour of sleep as we “spring forward” with Daylight Savings Time. While an hour might not seem like a huge difference, the shift in sunlight can upset a person’s circadian rhythm. And that, believe it or not, can lead to car accidents and other potential mishaps.

The shift can be difficult, especially for people who have a tough time in the morning hours as it is. The time change can actually be more difficult for people than shifting a time zone while traveling, says the director of a sleep and mood disorders laboratory.

According to an interesting ABC News article, the body clock, which is a part of the brain that generates the sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm, can get thrown off with less light in the morning and extra light in the evening. The circadian rhythm needs a “signal” of sorts to reset every day. People can feel exhausted when their light-dark and sleep-wake cycles don’t line up. This is what can lead to accidents and other problems.

There are ways to adjust for people who are prone to problems. The director of the sleep and mood disorders laboratory says that avoiding evening sunlight shortly after the time change can help, as can absorbing the morning sunlight after the change. That means actually getting up at dawn to be in the light and not merely sleeping by a window.

What do you think? Is the Daylight Savings change something you barely notice, or does it always feel exhausting to you?

Source: ABC News, “Daylight Savings Time 2012: How to spring forward,” Katie Moisse, March 9, 2012