On June 19, four people were hospitalized — one in serious condition — following a motor vehicle accident in North Knox County. The collision took place on Maynardville Highway. The two-vehicle crash took place at approximately quarter to five in the afternoon.

The accident was so severe that Knox County Rescue had to extricate all four people involved in the accident. The incident is being investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Following the crash, Rural Metro issued a statement advising motorists and their passengers to use their seat belts and avoid distracted driving.

Most people in Knoxville would agree that the safe thing to do when driving or riding in an automobile is to wear a seat belt. In addition, distracted driving has gotten a lot of attention lately as a behavior that should be avoided while driving. Distracted driving is not limited to cellphone use. Eating or grooming behind the wheel, turning the radio, chatting with passengers or even daydreaming can all cause distracted driving accidents for which the distracted driver could be held liable.

While the exact cause of this recent accident has not been reported, all drivers have the duty to drive reasonably under the circumstances. If a driver fails to do so and causes a car accident that injures another person, that driver could be held responsible for the crash.

That said, holding a driver responsible for a car accident is often a challenge, especially when the victim has to cope with injuries, expenses, among other things. Therefore, it may be a wise decision for car accident victims and their families to seek legal guidance.

The National Safety Council collects data of all kinds about motor vehicle crashes as does the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. 

In general, traffic fatalities and injuries were down slightly in 2019 but motorists must be alert to the possibility of crashes including angle collisions. 

Across the nation 

The National Safety Council estimates that in 2019 there were 38,800 vehicle crash fatalities across the nation, which was down 4% from 2017. The NSC estimated “medically consulted” injuries from vehicle crashes in 2019 at 4,423,000. While this seems a high number, it is a decrease in traffic-related injuries from the year before. 

Closer to home 

In-state traffic crash information from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security shows that there were 1,162 fatalities related to vehicle crashes in 2019. That same year, the Department also lists 5,555 “suspected” serious injuries and 25,412 non-serious injuries resulting from traffic accidents. 

Types of crashes 

Angle collisions are responsible for the most traffic fatalities across the country, representing 7,400 in 2018. An angle collision is similar to a side-impact collision except that both vehicles involved are traveling in the same direction and collide, or one vehicle runs into a stationary object, like a guardrail, at an angle. In terms of traffic deaths, head-on collisions take a close second to angle collisions, followed by rear-end and side-swipe crashes. 

Common crash injuries 

As the NSC data shows, many crash-related injuries are not serious and consist primarily of bumps and bruises. On the other hand, even a low speed rear-end collision can cause debilitating, sometimes life-changing injuries. Serious car crash injuries include traumatic brain injury, spinal injuries and internal bleeding, which, if not treated promptly, could result in death. Victims of angle collisions often suffer broken ribs, a painful injury that may take weeks to heal. 

A look ahead 

Motorists must remain alert at all times, especially at intersections and in heavy traffic where incidents like angle and head-on collisions are prone to happen. It is always advisable to seek prompt medical attention following any kind of crash. A doctor’s report with a diagnosis and treatment information is essential when the time comes to file a claim for insurance compensation. 

New vehicles these days come with more autonomous features than ever, from lane assist to adaptive cruise control and more. In fact, fully autonomous vehicles are in the works, and may one day be seen on Tennessee roads. It is hoped that by eliminating human error through autonomous vehicles there will be fewer motor vehicle accidents. However, a study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that autonomous vehicles may not be as safe as we wish.

According to the study, approximately two-thirds of collisions would still happen even if all vehicles on the road were fully autonomous. Per the study, currently nine of ten crashes involving human drivers are attributable to human error. However, around two-thirds of those crashes would still take place if the vehicles were autonomous, even though autonomous vehicles have a more accurate perception compared to people and are not subject to incapacitation. The study reports that to prevent car accidents, autonomous vehicles should be designed with safety in mind over rider preference.

The study does note, however, that autonomous vehicles perform well when it comes to low visibility on the roadway, roadway hazards and they can prevent distracted or drunk driving. However, these types of collisions only account for around one-third of motor vehicle accidents.

In the end, there is still work that has to be done on the automated vehicle front. We should not blindly trust that these vehicles will prevent all motor vehicle accidents. While autonomous vehicles do prevent some crashes, they are not infallible.