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Author: Anthony Proffitt

Categories
Drunk Driving Accidents

Tennessee man pleads not guilty for deadly crash

A deadly crash in Tennessee made headlines all over the state on Christmas Eve. Four women were killed in the auto accident, and the driver behind the wheel of the vehicle that hit them is accused of drunk driving.

The man pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him in a video arraignment. Police charged him with vehicular homicide, as well as identify theft. They say he used a driver’s license belonging to someone else. Other charges include drunk driving, reckless driving, resisting official detention and speeding.

According to the Commercial Appeal, the man was driving a Chevy Silverado pickup truck on Raleigh-Millington Road at the Loosahatchie River bridge. He apparently rear-ended the sedan in which the women were riding.

The impact caused the sedan to swerve into traffic, where it was struck by another pickup truck. All four women were killed in the collision. Two of them, both in their mid-40s, were sisters, and one of the women was their niece. Two people in the other pickup truck were also hospitalized with injuries.

The 32-year-old man, who is from Jackson, is due back in court in early January, at which time a preliminary hearing will be set. He is reportedly being held without bond until then.

Authorities say the man is wanted in several other counties on various charges, including forgery, theft, driving offenses and violating his probation. Police say they also plan to continue their investigation to determine what exactly caused the crash.

Source: Commercial Appeal, “Suspect pleads not guilty in fatal Christmas Eve car crash,” Lawrence Buser, Dec. 27, 2011

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

If a tree falls on your car, who is responsible?

A tragic car accident in Knoxville earlier this month raised an interesting question. If a large, natural object such as a tree falls on your car, who is liable? Certainly not the driver.

A woman was traveling on Colonial Drive on a recent afternoon when a tree on some private property fell over and crushed her car. She died in what authorities call a “freak accident,” according to Volunteer TV. It apparently took crews two hours to remove her body from the car.

The city was called to remove the tree. As it turns out, the owner of the property on which the tree stood called the city to complain about it in the past. The city inspected it and noted that it leaned heavily toward the street, had a crack near the bottom and needed to be cut down. Clearly, that never happened.

The question is, why? The public service director for the city says the tree was not cut down by the city because it’s the owner’s responsibility. And the inspection apparently did not reveal that the tree was an “imminent threat,” Volunteer TV reports.

The city noted that if the tree had been on an abandoned property, it may have been cut down. Whether the tree was alive or dead, which responding firefighters apparently couldn’t determine, could ordinarily be a deciding factor in whether the owners were negligent.

The tragedy serves as a reminder for homeowners to regularly check the trees in their yards. A falling tree can be just as dangerous as a speeding semi truck.

Source: Volunteer TV, “Woman killed when tree crushed her car identified,” Sharee Gilbert, Dec. 15, 2011

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

TDOT says it will look into safety improvements after huge crash

The massive pileup in the midst of intense freezing fog made headlines in Tennessee earlier this month. The crash, which involved 50 vehicles, left two people dead and over a dozen injured. Now, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is saying it’s looking at safety enhancements to improve the section of limited-access highway where the huge car accident took place.

Visibility was terrible along Vietnam Veterans Boulevard the morning of the crash due to the weather. There were slippery spots on an elevated portion of the road, and vehicles began crashing into each other in the eastbound lanes of traffic.

One man died after his car went under the back of a tractor trailer truck. Another injured motorist died after managing to drive himself to a hospital.

According to the Republic, state transportation officials are considering using an electronic message board that could alert drivers of possible dangers a few miles before a treacherous stretch of road. A spokesperson for Tennessee Department of Transportation says they will also consider additional warning lights or signs in the crash area.

A review of the crash found that emergency workers’ response was adequate. Unfortunately, when the weather gets bad, sometimes not much can be done to improve conditions. That’s when it’s important for motorists to slow down and drive cautiously to avoid accidents.

Freezing fog is particularly dangerous since it greatly reduces visibility and results in slick spots. It’s always better to slow down if there’s any question about the conditions of the road.

Source: The Republic, “TDOT will look at safety enhancements to highway where 2 died in 50-car collision this month,” Dec. 14, 2011

Categories
Car Accidents

NTSB wants to ban phones, devices for all drivers

Tennessee is one of dozens of states that ban texting while driving. A handful of states also ban the use of cellphones at all, and now the National Transportation and Safety Board wants to ban all electronic devices altogether. At least, that’s its recommendation for all U.S. states.

The board urged the ban this week, arguing that it could save lives and prevent car accidents. While the NTSB does not technically have the authority to enforce such a ban, its recommendations are followed much of the time.

According to Volunteer TV’s website, one crash that prompted the recommendation occurred in another state last year. More than three dozen people were injured in the wreck, and two people were killed, after a teenage driver texted 11 times immediately beforehand.

The NTSB also reportedly recommended banning all digital devices, including hands-free headsets. It notes that GPS systems and even the radio can be major distractions for a driver.

Even though there are laws against texting in Tennessee, one state trooper says that he sees people using cellphones while driving every day. However, he also thinks that laws discouraging cellphone use have caused some people to stop using them while driving.

One Tennessee driver says that he thinks the ban is a good idea, and that enforcement is important. When there’s a law against something, he tells Volunteer TV, “it’s common sense not to do it.”

What do you think of the ban? Will it help curb serious accidents?

Source: Volunteer TV, “NTSB: Ban all personal electronics for drivers,” Heather Haley, Dec. 14, 2011

Categories
Car Accidents

13.5 million drivers distracted by phones at any given moment

If you think new laws prohibiting the use of a handheld cellphone while driving have curbed accidents, think again. Even though eight states (Tennessee not included) had banned drivers from using handheld cellphones as of May 2011, and 32 states have banned texting, the problem of distracted driving appears to be growing, not shrinking.

Think about it: if you’re stuck at a typical Knoxville intersection, how often do you see drivers whiz by with a cell phone plastered to their ear? According to a new federal survey, about a tenth of fatal motor vehicle accidents last year were caused by distracted driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which released the study recently, at least one in 20 drivers observed at any given moment is talking on a cellphone. Plus, one in 100 is sending a text message or using some sort of handheld device.

It’s actually quite possible that there are more offenders than that. NHTSA says it’s impossible to document every accident related to distracted driving, particularly when there is a lack of witnesses. However, authorities have been attempting to narrow data related to distracted drivers. Instead of combining data involving “careless” driving, they are targeting drivers believed to be distracted, according to a CNN article.

With new laws and measures in place, why is the problem growing? It’s hard to say, but experts agree that something must change so that these fatalities can be prevented.

Source: CNN, “Millions of drivers won’t hang up, study says,” Mike M. Ahlers, Dec. 8, 2011

Categories
Drunk Driving Accidents

Drugs or alcohol may have been factors in pedestrian accident

Whether you are behind the wheel or taking a walk on a busy street, consuming alcohol or drugs can severely impair your reaction time and judgment. A recent auto accident in Knoxville shows the possible dangers of such intoxication. There could be serious consequences for both the driver and the pedestrian.

Police say a 53-year-old pedestrian was injured when he was struck by a vehicle in the center turn lane of Kingston Pike near its intersection with Newcom Drive on Wednesday evening. The pedestrian had apparently bought some items at a store and was returning home.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that the man was struck by a 1987 Chevrolet Camaro driven by a 27-year-old man when he maneuvered into the turn lane to turn into a restaurant parking lot.

The pedestrian was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. His condition after the accident was not reported.

Police are saying they believe drugs and alcohol may have been factors in the crash. It’s possible that both the driver and the pedestrian had consumed alcohol or drugs prior to the accident. The investigation is ongoing.

After the accident, blood samples were taken from both men to determine whether they were impaired at the time of the crash. It’s possible that charges could be brought thereafter.

There are many factors that can cause car/pedestrian accidents, such as weather conditions, bad lighting and unexpected traffic. Adding alcohol into the mix increases the odds that a crash could occur.

Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, “Drunk driver? Drunk pedestrian? Impairment an issue in W. Knox collision,” Don Jacobs, Dec. 8, 2011

Categories
Car Accidents

Advocates push for GDL funding to curb car accidents

Have you ever heard of graduated driver licensing? It’s an effort to gradually introduce teenagers to driving, and its aim is to reduce car accidents and injuries. Experts say it works, and now more advocates are pushing for millions of dollars in funding for such programs.

According to an article in the USA Today, a report indicates that 2,000 lives could be saved in the U.S. each year if every state instituted GDL programs. The numbers are even broken down by state. According to the report, Tennessee could see 57 lives saved per year.

There are several key elements in GDL programs, and at this point only two states have implemented all of them. Here they are:

• Minimum age of 16 for a learner’s permit

• Minimum age of 17 for a full driver’s license

• Nighttime driving restrictions beginning at 10 p.m. for drivers with intermediate licenses

• Six months before unsupervised driving

• Minimum of 30 hours of supervised driving during learner’s permit stage

• Intermediate license at age 16 ½ minimum

• Only one non-family passenger for drivers with intermediate licenses

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in this country. And for every mile driven, those ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to be involved in a crash.

While every state has some form of GDL, advocates are pushing for national funding. But, they’re facing opposition from youth groups, including the National Youth Rights Association. Time will tell whether federal lawmakers decide to make GDL a more national issue.

Source: USA Today, “Study: Phased-in teen driving privileges could save 2,000,” Larry Copeland, Dec. 6, 2011

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

New technology can help detect how slippery roads are

You probably heard about the massive pileup near Nashville this week that left one man dead. Poor weather conditions, including fog and black ice, likely contributed to that fatal car accident.

It’s nearly the time of year when temperatures plunge and conditions such as black ice clog up the roads. About 80 percent of motorists agree that icy roads (and heavy rain) create the most difficult driving conditions.

Indeed, there are about 1.5 million accidents related to bad weather conditions every year, as well as 7,000 deaths. Now, some new technology might just help motorists become more aware of dangerous weather conditions, particularly black ice, which is practically undetectable to the naked eye.

Scientists have come up with an advanced sensor system that can measure levels of ice and snow, and then convey that information to driver via warnings.

The infrared sensors, which are embedded in the pavement, read the road’s surface temperature, as well as the temperature of the ground below the road, and then transmit that information to a remote computer.

Motorists can then get a green, yellow or red warning, to know the level of danger of road conditions. It’s hoped this will make drivers aware of when they need to be paying extra special attention.

What do you think? If this idea takes off, could it help prevent accidents? And if you were about to get behind the wheel and saw there was a “red” warning, would it make you drive any differently?

Source: Ivanhoe, “Safe or slippery – detecting dangerous roads,” Dec. 1, 2011

Categories
Truck Accidents

Trucker slams into Tennessee gas station off Interstate 40

Imagine getting out of your car at a gas station and just narrowly missing getting hit by a tractor trailer rig, which then crashes into the building. One driver in Tennessee didn’t have to imagine it; he saw it with his own eyes.

The truck accident happened last week when the truck driver apparently exited the interstate and veered onto an uphill S-shaped ramp. For some reason, the tires left the pavement and the truck jumped a concrete island, crossed a road, drove over a grassy area and entered the store’s parking lot. That’s when the vehicle slammed into the gas station.

The 43-year-old driver was airlifted to Regional Medical Center in Memphis, while his 40-year-old passenger was taken to the hospital via ambulance. He was discharged, while the driver was listed in good condition following the accident. Two people inside the station were not hurt in the crash.

The man standing outside the Shell station apparently narrowly missed getting hit by the truck. According to Commercial Appeal, he was standing at the back of his vehicle when it was hit on the front left side.

The entire trailer ended up inside the gas station, while the cab went all the way out the back well and came to rest behind the building.

Investigators were trying to determine if there was a mechanical problem, or if the driver suffered a medical episode. There is no evidence that he applied the brakes all. It’s lucky no one was killed and more people were not hurt.

Source: Commercial Appeal, “Two injured as truck slams into gas station in Arlington,” Clay Bailey, Nov. 23, 2011

Categories
Car Accidents

Motorist collides with boy on scooter, causing injuries

It’s probably happened to you. You’re on your way to work, or perhaps on the way home, and the sun suddenly creeps up over a hill or past a tree and seems downright blinding. This can be extremely dangerous, and the best thing to do is slow down or pull over. When it happens someplace where it’s not possible to do those things, extreme caution is necessary.

One driver who claims to have been blinded while driving recently struck an 11-year-old boy riding a scooter. The car accident occurred in a residential neighborhood on Crest Hill Drive late last week.

The boy was apparently riding his scooter in a neighbor’s driveway when the resident arrived home in her Honda. The driver says she was blinded by the sun and didn’t see the boy when she pulled into the driveway.

After the boy was struck, he apparently became pinned under the car briefly, according to a Knoxville Police spokesperson. The boy was not wearing a helmet. According to Knoxnews.com, he was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. His injuries were described as non-life threatening.

Authorities were continuing an investigation over the weekend. Police say charges have not been filed against the driver, at least not yet.

In this case, it’s lucky the boy’s injuries were not more serious. Blinding sunlight can be a real problem on busy streets, and it’s always important to pay attention and drive carefully.

Source: Knoxnews.com, “Boy on scooter, 11, struck by motorist blinded by sun,” Nov. 18, 2011