Category: motor vehicle accidents

Everybody knows that distracted driving is dangerous driving. However, exactly which activities constitute distraction is often a point of debate. For instance, most people agree that a teenager trying to post on a social media outlet while driving is certainly a distracted driver.

However, many examples of distracted driving are far less obvious. For instance, many Americans snack or even eat entire meals behind the wheel each and every day. According to Decide to Drive, eating while driving can increase your risk of a crash by nearly 50%.

What kinds of foods are the most dangerous to eat?

In reality, eating anything while driving is a distraction. However, there are some kinds of food and beverage statistically more likely to be present at a crash scene than others. Many of these foods are readily available from fast food restaurants or roadside cafes.

Some very common foods at crash sites include powdered donuts, soups, tacos, chili, hamburgers, coffee and soft drinks. Again, this is likely because these foods are easy to get while driving. Eating a rack of lamb while driving is not any safer.

How can I stop eating while driving?

Usually a little bit of planning can help you avoid eating while operating a moving vehicle. If you usually eat your breakfast in your car, try waking up 10 minutes earlier. You may be able to eat at your breakfast table this way.

If you are going on a longer road trip, consider stopping at special restaurants to make eating a part of the vacation. Alternatively, consider packing a picnic lunch in advance and eating at a rest stop next to the highway. Not only will this prevent you from eating while driving, the food will likely be cheaper and healthier.

Most of the time, driver’s ed classes focus on how to teach people to drive defensively. However, not everybody takes these lessons to heart. It is likely that you will encounter an aggressive or even angry driver on America’s roadways at some point.  

Understanding road rage and what to do when you encounter it is paramount to staying safe, particularly since it is so common. According to Geico Insurance, almost 80% of surveyed drivers expressed anger behind the wheel at some point during the previous year. 

What are the most common forms that road rage takes?

Road rage is a very malleable concept, and different drivers will express it in a variety of ways. However, tailgating is a very common side effect of road rage. If another driver is honking excessively at you or even yelling out his or her car window, it is likely that the driver is under the effect of road rage. 

Road rage can take even more extreme forms. For instance, drivers have gotten out of their cars before at stop signs or in traffic to confront other drivers in their cars. Some drivers experiencing road rage even ram or bump their vehicle on purpose into another.  

What should I do if I encounter road rage?

The first thing is not to respond to the driver exhibiting rage. It might be tempting respond, but a better tactic is to try and stay away from the driver. You may find that slowing down or turning off onto a side road helps you get away.  

However, you should absolutely not stop the car, as this could cause a confrontation with the enraged driver. Road rage is dangerous, and the best thing to do is drive away.  

More Americans and Tennessee residents are purchasing large SUVs, as opposed to smaller passenger cars, and a study shows that pedestrians are experiencing more injuries and fatalities in car-on-pedestrian crashes because of it. SUVs have a higher front profile than traditional passenger cars, and this means heightened injury and fatality risks for pedestrians.

Per J.D. Power, SUV sales now account for 70% of all new car sales across the United States. In 2009, only about 21% of vehicles on the road were SUVs.

Study findings

The number of traffic fatalities across the United States decreased substantially between 1980 and 2018. Yet, over the last 10 years, pedestrian deaths have increased year after year, rising 53% within this span. Now, car-on-pedestrian crashes cause more than a fifth of all U.S. traffic deaths.

Injury risks are also greater when SUVs strike pedestrians. Larger, taller vehicles tend to strike pedestrians higher up on their bodies than smaller cars. This increases the risk of internal injuries to major organs. While some SUV manufacturers have updated their designs to reduce associated risks, such efforts have not proved effective thus far.

Speed considerations

How fast an SUV is traveling also helps determine how much a threat it poses to pedestrians. When cars travel at 40 mph and strike pedestrians, pedestrians survive in about 46% of instances. When an SUV strikes a pedestrian while traveling at the same speed, pedestrians die in 100% of crashes.

Pedestrians should not count on motorists to exercise care and watch out for them. As Americans continue to buy more SUVs, the dangers for pedestrians may continue to increase.

If you have experienced an auto injury, you may have a long road to recovery. Worse, your injury may prevent you from being able to work, making it difficult to cover mounting medical bills while continuing to support yourself and your family.

In Tennessee, the law holds negligent drivers responsible for the damage they cause. In addition to compensation for medical expenses, you may be able to recover damages for lost income, permanent disability and the pain and suffering caused by your injury.

1. Replacement of lost income

You may need to take time off work during your recovery, and if your injury is severe, it may impact your ability to earn income for months, years or even permanently. You may be able to receive compensation for both time missed due to your injury and future loss of earning potential.

2. Payment for medical expenses

From emergency room care to ongoing treatments, you may be able to collect payment for present and future health care costs related to your injury. In addition to the expense of hospitalization and/or surgery, your claim may cover the costs of prescriptions, assistive devices, physical therapy and follow-up medical visits.

3. Pain and suffering

Your life may never be the same after your injury. From the physical pain of the injury itself to the potential for lifelong disability or disfigurement, the law may hold a negligent driver accountable by awarding you compensation for the damage done to your life and to your family.

If another motorist’s recklessness has caused you or a loved one serious injury, it is important to act quickly. Under Tennessee law, you may have a limited amount of time to file a personal injury claim.

As a Tennesse motorist, driving with vigilance and strict attention to the road may help reduce the risk of injuries resulting from a car accident. However, when accidents happen, Tennesse law uses comparative fault to determine which driver is most responsible for the wreck, and if you practice distracted driving, a judge may hold you responsible.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving habits, such as cell phone usage behind the wheel, caused the deaths of more than 3,000 people on U.S. roadways in 2019. You can avoid becoming a sad statistic and keep yourself and your passengers safe by changing your distracted driving habits.

Distracted driving actions

While texting and failing to use hands-free devices during phone calls are typically the most well-known distracted driving actions, there are others that may cause you to take your eyes off the road as well. Most involve you taking one hand off the wheel as well, increasing inattention to your surroundings, such as:

• Adjusting your car stereo
• Opening food or drinks
• Chatting or arguing with passengers
• Scolding children or pet passengers

Any of these actions could cause an accident if they cause you to drift into another lane, swerve or if you fail to notice traffic stopped in front of you.

Changing habits

While changing your driving habits may seem daunting, there are a few ways you can avoid distractions while behind the wheel. For example, set your phone to a hands-free option and pre-set your stereo before you put the car in drive. Secure children in car seats before you leave and use crates or other vehicle pet restraints when your pet is in the car. Keep the car interior volume low and remind your passengers that driving is a responsibility that you cannot take lightly.

Providing a good example by improving your driving habits may encourage your teen drivers to do the same. While some accidents are unavoidable, avoiding distracted driving can reduce the odds of injury and costly property damage.

A car accident can change a person’s life forever. Even simple accidents with minimal property damage can sometimes leave victims experiencing PTSD and chronic pain.

Families of car accident victims may feel the strain of financially caring for their loved ones. Even worse, in serious situations, families may face the shocking and devastating death of their family members.

9 victims in Easter wreck

A severe car accident on Easter Sunday resulted in one fatality. According to authorities, two vehicles collided in Franklin on Sunday afternoon. In addition to the deceased, eight people suffered injuries and received medical treatment at three local hospitals. Authorities have not released the cause of the collision.

Information on the conditions of the surviving victims was not immediately available. Local authorities who initially responded to the accident released a statement expressing their condolences and support for the families affected by the tragedy.

Overcoming trauma

Even for victims who suffer non-fatal injuries in a car accident, the emotional impact of a traumatic situation can have debilitating outcomes. Some people may feel guilt that they survived the accident while other victims did not. They may also feel paralyzing fear about getting in a vehicle again and lack the confidence to drive altogether.

Therapy can help people address their concerns and navigate complex conditions including PTSD, depression and anxiety. Working through their feelings can help them discover methods to manage their emotions and process their circumstances. With adequate support, people can continue to recover and may slowly regain their confidence.

Source: The Associated Press, “Police: 1 dead, 8 hurt in two-vehicle accident in Tennessee,” Apr. 4, 2021

If another vehicle collides with yours, you may wonder what the other driver’s duties are following the accident. For example, a driver who hits you in a vehicular collision must not leave the scene. Departing after an auto accident may not only cause you greater harm if you have suffered injury, but the other driver may incur criminal charges.

A recent case in Knoxville illustrates the kind of trouble a motorist can get into for not stopping at an accident scene involving serious injury to other parties.

Charges in a recent accident

Knoxville’s WVLT reported on an auto accident that occurred on a Sunday on I-640. According to Knoxville police, a man driving while under the influence impacted a vehicle and caused critical injury to a woman and minor injuries to a five year old. The driver departed the scene soon after. Later, the police placed the driver under arrest not only on suspicion for driving while under the influence, but for leaving the scene of an accident.

Requirements under law

Tennessee law is clear that any driver who has involvement in an accident must stop at the accident scene or as close to the scene as possible and remain there. This stipulation also applies to places like shopping centers, apartment complexes or trailer parks, anywhere where the public is likely to frequent.

The driver must fulfill a number of duties before departing the accident. The other driver must tell you his or her name, address and vehicle registration number. If you have suffered injury from the accident, the other driver must give you reasonable assistance, including arranging for first responders to show up if you cannot contact them. These measures may stop an injury from becoming more serious or even save your life.

Motor vehicle accidents happen every day on the roads of Tennessee. Each accident provides important details on situations that face drivers in terms of weather and traffic conditions, as well as other factors that lead to crashes.

Accidents ranging from the fairly common to the highly unusual illustrate some of the challenges to public safety.

Driver crashes into police cruiser

WRCB TV reports that a driver collided with a Chattanooga police car with its lights and sirens activated. The police officer was on his way to help another officer following a hit-and-run vehicle accident. The officer avoided any significant injuries, while the other driver sustained minor injuries that required a hospital visit.

The accident occurred around 9:40 p.m. on N. Moore Road in Chattanooga. The separate accident resulted in the apprehension of a person fleeing the scene of the accident. The news report did not elaborate on the charges in either incident.

Single vehicle accident results in death

News Channel 5 reported that a 52-year-old-man hit a tree after leaving the roadway on Old Hickory Road in Madison. The man, driving an SUV, crossed into the path of oncoming traffic and left the roadway and then struck the tree.

Medical personnel transported the man to Skyline Medical Center, where he later died. Metro Nashville Police could give no reason why the man left the roadway and crossed the centerline. The news report did not mention any other known complicating information on the incident. Authorities ordered toxicology testing to gain insight into the reasons for the crash and to determine possible charges.

A pedestrian has been seriously injured in Knoxville after a driver struck him and then fled the scene last Tuesday night. Police officers responded to a call of an alleged hit-and-run accident at Washington Pike near Broadway at approximately 10:20 p.m.

According to officer investigation and evidence at the scene, a pedestrian was crossing Washington Pike in the crosswalk toward the Pilot gas station when he was struck by a vehicle. The driver of an older model red Chevy Cobalt fled the scene east on Washington Pike, according to officers.

The male victim was sent to UT Medical Center in serious condition, according to the Knoxville Police Department. The accident remains under investigation.

Pedestrian fatalities on the rise

According to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), pedestrian fatalities across the country have increased by more than 50% in the past ten years. The GHSA predicted that more than 6,500 pedestrians lost their lives in 2019, the highest number in more than 30 years.

Pedestrian deaths also accounted for 17% of all traffic deaths in 2019. And although motor vehicle technologies have increased the survivability of vehicle occupants who are in accidents, pedestrians remain vulnerable to catastrophic injury and death when struck by a motor vehicle.

Visibility and distracted driving cited as key factors

Most pedestrian accidents occur on local roads at night and away from intersections. Although pedestrian fatalities occurring at all times of the day and night have gone up in the past 10 years, nighttime incidents occur more frequently, and have increased by 67% compared to only a 16% rise in daytime incidents. Unsafe driving behaviors such as distracted, drowsy, alcohol or drug-impaired driving occurred in nearly half the reported incidents in 2018.

A pedestrian struck by an SUV is twice as likely to die as one hit by a car. Passenger cars remain the largest category of vehicles involved in fatal pedestrian accidents, but pedestrian fatalities from SUVs have increased by 81%, a much higher rate than those from passenger cars.

When a pedestrian has suffered catastrophic injuries after an accident involving a negligent driver, it is essential to get dedicated and experienced legal support to aggressively pursue claims from insurance companies, and, if necessary, go to court to obtain the maximum financial compensation that you deserve.