Category: Drunk Driving Accidents

Many people in Knoxville do not understand how serious car accidents can be when there is alcohol involved. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, each day, motorists who drive while intoxicated kill 28 individuals. 

Because drunk driving car accidents are the cause of many life-threatening injuries and deaths, victims and their loved ones can file personal injury claims to help them deal with the aftermath. 

Challenges that car accident victims face 

People who survive alcohol-related car accidents often face many challenges during their recoveries. Some of them are unable to return to work and perform their normal daily activities. They must rely on their family members and health care providers for financial and medical assistance. Just like other types of motor vehicle collisions, accidents involving alcohol can cause injury to the following areas on the body. 

•        Spine
•        Brain
•        Neck
•        Chest
•        Hands, arms and legs 

Some victims are so severely injured that they become disabled and face additional challenges. All victims must deal with the emotional and financial impact that their ordeals leave behind. 

Many drunk driving accidents occur at night. They should also stay away from drivers who show signs of inebriation. Motorists can reduce their risk of crashing with drunk drivers by staying alert, especially at night. Individuals can also avoid collisions by eliminating distractions and improving their driving skills. Motorists who speed or drive too slow, tailgate, weave in and out of traffic and drive on the wrong side of the streets can cause them and other drivers to make errors that make the roads more dangerous.

Drunk driving has certainly been a major concern in America for decades. However, depending on the area, statistics show that this issue has become more complex than once thought. News reports circulating around the Knoxville area of Tennessee indicate that there is an additional cause of substance-related motor vehicle accidents: that of prescription medications. 

WBIR News claims that drugged driving caused more accidents in Tennessee than alcohol in recent years. According to the report, the opioid epidemic in America has inevitably had a hand in this change, which ultimately helps reveal that the opioid issue is a multifaceted one. Because prescription drugs make any driver impaired and thus in less control over a vehicle, law enforcement fears that more drug-related accidents could occur in the future. The area in which high volumes of these wrecks take place is also around the University of Tennessee’s Knoxville campus, where students could become more open to the idea of trying dangerous drugs due to inexperience, peer pressure and a number of other factors. WBIR adds that in 2015 alone, an estimate of 174 people died when the driver tested positive for drugs, or when officers determined drugs influenced the driver. Experts claim that the most common drugs in these situations are opiates and benzodiazepines. 

While the influence of prescription drugs has made an incredibly negative impact on America’s drivers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention remind Tennesseans that alcohol nonetheless plays a major role in motor vehicle accidents. Between 2003 and 2012, 3,423 people were killed by a drunk driver in the state, with about one in three deaths involving a drunk driver. Yet CDC also notes that Tennesseans, along with the rest of the country, are slow to admit to driving while under the influence: only 1.1 percent report driving after drinking too much.

Regardless of the cause, reports such as these show that substances — whether illegal or legal — play a major role in motor vehicle accidents across the state. And although this angle of the opioid epidemic is part of a much larger issue, it nevertheless opens up a concern in the state of Tennessee, an area already largely affected by the crisis.     

Every state contains its own set of drunk driving laws to protect all drivers on the road, and the details of each penalty can be complex and demanding. Tennessee’s laws regarding driving while under the influence vary depending on the number of offenses, existence of injuries and fatalities. Even a first-time offense can come with incredibly damaging consequences.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides statistical data of accidents in the state, as well as the percentage of those accidents that occur as a result of alcohol impairment. According to the NHTSA’s 2015 report, 31 percent of Tennessee’s 958 fatal motor vehicle traffic accidents involved alcohol at the blood alcohol concentration level of .01 percent. 26 percent of Tennessee’s fatal crashes were due to BAC levels of .08 percent. However, law enforcement considers drivers to be alcohol-impaired when their BAC levels .08 grams per deciliter or higher. This policy also applies to motorcyclists, and the term “alcohol-impaired” does not imply that a crash or a fatality was caused by alcohol impairment.

When it comes to the penalties for drunk driving accidents, the financial and legal costs can be overwhelming. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security lists the types of offenses related to drunk driving and the according penalties, stating that in the case of vehicular assault, a driver may face a Class D felony. Other penalties that can arise from a serious injury to another person by a DUI driver are license revocation from one to five years according to the number of prior offenses, jail time from two to twelve years and fines and court costs. Accidents involving vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular assault while driving intoxicated come with additional, often more pressing penalties.     

As frustrating has having to deal with the aftermath of a car accident in Knoxville can be, your ire is likely to increase even more if you find out that yours was caused by a drunk driver. While criminal penalties may await the driver in this scenario, that knowledge may do little to ease the suffering you have been forced to endure from the injuries you sustained along with the expenses you incurred. The cost of such an accident may even necessitate you pursuing compensation. The question is whether the drunk driver involed is the only one who is at fault. 

In many cases, a third party had to provide the alcohol to the driver in order for him or her to become intoxicated. The legal concept of dram shop liability assigns fault to third parties who sell or provide alcohol to people who, after consuming and becoming impaired from it, cause injuries or damages. The term hearkens back to times when taverns sold liquor using a dram as a unit of measurement. Many states do not have dram shop laws on their books; Tennessee, however, does have such a statute.

In Section 57-10-101 of Tennessee’s Annotated Code, the state does recognize the consumption of alcohol rather than the furnishing of it as the proxmite cause of injuries due to intoxication. At the same time, the law goes on to say that there are cases where you can assign vicarious liability to the establishment where the driver that hit you drank. These include if it sold alcohol to the driver knowing he or she was under the age of 21, or if he or she was already visibly intoxicated, yet it continued to sell him or her drinks anyway. 

Underage drinking is a growing concern for many parents in Knoxville. According to MADD.org, underage drinking increases during the summer by 61 percent. With teenagers being the most dangerous group of drivers on the roads, they should learn about the impact that alcohol and car accidents can have on their lives. 

Here is a brief overview of teenage drunk driving accidents. 

The problem 

Many adolescents do not value their driving privileges. They take risks and do things that significantly increases the chances of them crashing into other vehicles, sustaining life-threatening injuries and dying. They drive with distractions, do not show other motorists proper road courtesies and engage in other reckless driving behaviors that endanger the safety of other motorists and pedestrians. When alcohol is a factor, the fatality rate for teen car accidents is 60 percent, states Drive-Safely.net. 

How alcohol affects teen drivers 

Many teens are not aware that their bodies do not process alcohol like adults. Their bodies and brains are still developing. Repeated exposure to alcohol can lead to irreversible brain damage, memory problems and other complications that can dramatically change the course of their lives. The effects of alcohol on their driving behaviors include slower response times and diminished judgment skills. Also, teen drivers do not have sufficient driving experience to handle certain situations they may encounter. These are all major contributing factors that impact teen motorist safety. 

Teens should not drink alcohol, nor should they drive after consuming it. Parents and adolescents can prevent alcohol-related teen car accidents. Teens should learn about the dangers and take them seriously. Parents should provide more supervision, guidance and consequences when their young adults disregard the law and engage in dangerous driving behaviors.

When people drink and drive in Knoxville, they do not do it with the intent to harm or kill others with their vehicles. But that is precisely what happens in some drunk driving motor vehicle accidents. Many drunk drivers participate in this type of reckless behavior because they are misinformed about the dangers. 

The impact of drunk driving 

Alcohol is a substance that is known to impair a person’s mental and physical processes. Individuals who consume alcohol may enjoy the buzzed and intoxicated feelings they get, especially while they are behind the wheel. However, the innocent motorists, passengers and pedestrians who are seriously injured and lose their lives to these individuals and their families are the ones who suffer the most. 

Drunk driving does not just happen. Motorists who drink and drive choose to put themselves and everyone else on the roads in danger. When they engage in distractions they become even more negligent and dangerous to others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2014, almost 31 percent of all motor vehicle deaths were caused by intoxicated drivers. 

Ways motorists can protect themselves 

Drunk driving accidents are preventable. Motorists should learn to identify the signs of intoxication in other drivers so they can stay away from and report them. Indicators that highlight a driver may be drunk include driving on the wrong side of the road, swerving in their lane, driving too slow, tailgating and erratic braking, states QuitAlcohol.com. 

People should not rely solely on law enforcement to keep them safe from drunk drivers. They can protect themselves by driving defensively, not drinking and driving and identifying and notifying the authorities when they see inebriated drivers on the roads.

Every year, people in Tennessee are injured and killed by drivers who are under the influence of alcohol. Drunk driving crashes can be devastating for victims and their families. However, until now not much attention has been given to accidents involving drugged drivers. A new study has not only looked at accident fatalities involving drugs but has come to some controversial conclusions.

According to CBS News, a recent report has found that of drivers involved in fatal crashes, 37 percent tested positive for alcohol, while 43 percent tested positive for drugs. Of the drugs found, marijuana was the most popular, followed by amphetamines.

While drug abuse is an important issue facing many communities, some are quick to point out the flaws of this study. Drug testing is not universally administered, nor were concentrations of the drugs taken into account. There is currently no equivalent test for drugs that compares to the testing conducted by law enforcement to determine a driver’s blood alcohol content.

In addition, some feel that the report’s conclusion may take away from the extremely important cause of preventing drunk driving. Mothers Against Drunk Driving points out that just because drugs were found to be in a person’s system at the time of a crash, it does not mean that the person was impaired by them. For instance, alcohol may be in a person’s system if he or she had one drink but that does not mean that the person’s ability to drive was impaired. Plus, since the testing for alcohol versus drugs is completely different, a direct comparison cannot be made.

Alcohol-related car accidents are a leading cause of death for teens in Knoxville. With warmer weather on the way, more teenagers are getting their licenses. Prom and graduation seasons are also coming up, and the roads are becoming more dangerous for young adult motorists. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, teenage drivers who drink have a significantly higher risk of being involved in fatal crashes.

Many drunk teen motorists binge drink. They consume several drinks in a short amount of time before they drive their vehicles. Teenagers are also more likely to drink socially because they face pressure from friends. Many young drivers do not have much driving experience, and they may have lower tolerances than older drivers which is the perfect recipe for drunk driving accidents.

Parents should play an active role in deterring teens from using alcohol and driving. They should discourage their young adults from drinking by making them aware of the dangers. They should also create no tolerance rules to discourage their teens from using alcohol. Parents should monitor their teens for signs of intoxication and take their keys if necessary to keep them from driving and putting other people at risk of car accidents. Today.com recommends for parents to work with other parents to create plans and transportation arrangements that limit the amount of driving their teens do for special occasions, such as proms, graduations, celebrations and other activities.

Teens, alcohol and vehicles do not mix. Creating more awareness about the dangers teenage motorists face when they drink and drive can help to reduce the number of alcohol-related teenage car accidents that occur.

The holiday season in Tennessee is a time that is often filled with joy and happiness for many. However, according to EHS, it is also a time where driving dangers are at their highest. More drivers are on the roads than usual. With higher traffic volumes comes a greater risk of accidents. Motorists who decide to travel during this time of year should make themselves familiar with these dangers so they can take measures to keep themselves safe.

Intoxicated driving

Many people attend family gatherings and parties where alcohol is served. Some of those people who end up drinking find themselves driving while they are intoxicated. The dangers of this behavior impacts everyone because inebriated drivers are not as in control of their driving behaviors as they should be. Alcohol-impaired drivers are responsible for 40 percent of fatal car accidents during the holiday season, states Edmunds.com.

Distracted driving

Drivers have access to hands-free technology and mobile devices that sometimes interfere with their ability to remain focused on the roads. They may feel tempted to send texts, make phone calls and interact more with these devices and their passengers.

Tired and fatigued driving

Some motorists spend long hours on the road in order to get to their destinations. As a result, many of them end up driving while they are tired, fatigued and having trouble focusing on the roads. Some of these drivers do not stop to rest because they do not want to lose any time traveling to their destinations.

Most holiday driving dangers are preventable with careful planning. Motorists who decide to travel during this time should be extra cautious and prepared for accidents.

In Tennessee, designated drivers have long been perceived as people who do not drink and drive. However, recent research shows that many designated drivers are not always sober when they are behind the wheel. According to a study from NPR Science Desk, as long as their BAC was below the legal limit of 0.08 percent, many people who act as designated drivers think it is okay for them to consume a few alcoholic beverages. 20 percent of the 41 percent of designated drivers in this study drank to the point of impairment.

Many drivers are not aware that they are affected by alcohol until they feel slightly off or buzzed, states CBS News online. However, when buzzed designated drivers are in a car full of intoxicated people, they are more likely to become distracted from all of the loud talking, roughhousing and drunken behaviors that are going on. This increases the risk of accident and injury to everyone significantly.

The study involved 165 designated drivers and bar patrons. Changes in driving abilities and psychomotor functions were evident in designated drivers who consumed enough alcohol to score a 0.05 percent on the Breathalyzer test. Researchers also monitored changes in study particiapnts behavior with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test.

People who accept the responsibility of being designated drivers should avoid drinking alcohol until their duties are fulfilled. Even having as much as one drink can affect their senses and driving behaviors to the point that everyone who is in their vehicles is at risk for accidents.