A lot goes into buying a car. First there are the commercials; then the cars that catch your eye out on the road and then comes the internet search. While perusing the various makers and models that fit a Tennessee resident’s criteria, one of the biggest questions to ask is ‘Will I be kept safe in the event of an accident?’ One way to find an answer is to look into the ratings the car you’re looking at has scored on various different crash and performance tests.

Being an informed driver is one of the best things someone can do to prevent an accident – and that includes being informed about all aspects of driving. In a recent report detailing the findings of the Institute for Highway Safety’s latest crash test scores revealed that cars of a certain category (midsized family vehicles in this test) may not be as safe in a crash as some would think. The curve-breakers would be the Honda Accord and Suzuki Kizashi; both scoring the top spot of “Good.” The lowest? Toyota Camry and Toyota Prius v with scores of “Poor.” 

The tests administered were reported to be focused on the impact of the crash to the car’s body and damage from front, sides, and rear, the damage done to the dummy inside the car and where their injuries would be, would it have been a real person. Other aspects of the cars tested were the safety features, including airbags and safety belts. An interesting note made in the report was that the most damage seemed to commonly occur to the legs of the dummies in lower-ranking vehicles.

For Tennessee residents who are looking at buying a car, this study may be of service to see where yours would rank. Should someone who has been in an accident find that their vehicle had a malfunction or improperly working mechanism that led to the accident or injury, working with an attorney to understand fully what options are available to you may help. As safe as we can learn how to be on the roads, the safety that our vehicles offer us is just as important.

Source: examiner.com, “Honda Accord, Suzuki Kizashi lead in new crash test; Toyota Camry, Prius v fail,” Brady Holt, Dec. 20, 2012

Driving a motor vehicle that has one of its mechanisms working incorrectly can be one of the scariest things for a driver. Tennessee drivers trust that the cars we buy are manufactured to their safest potential and when the result of a problematic devise in a car is an accident, the effects can be devastating. Honda recently announced one of its recalls due to one such faulty mechanism, coming after several reported accidents.

The recall involves some 870,000 different vehicles, all with an automatic transmission and all from at least six years ago, if not older. The specific models included are some of the Odyssey and Pilot models (from the years 2003 and 2004), as well as a specific amount of Acuras made between 2003 and 2006. Their problem reportedly is with the ignition lock mechanism, which becomes less effective over time.

The lock is supposed to engage when the keys are inserted into the ignition and they have been reported to lose their grip over time, causing the cars, which may not be in the parked gear, to be able to roll away. Without this important safety feature performing its duty, accidents such as the 16 noted ones become more and more possible. There have only been two reported cases of injuries being sustained, however: one involving a man being rolled over by his van.

For Tennessee drivers who are using these specific Honda models, the company has announced that those who have trouble with this problem will be able to have a dealer repair the interlock device. As well, the registered owners of these vehicles will receive their notice of the recall come early 2013. Should a resident believe that they have been involved in a car accident due to an issue such as this, understanding the rights you retain regarding personal injury and compensation could help with the unforeseen medical costs.

Source: usatoday.com, “Honda recalls 870,000 minivans, SUVs,” The Associated Press, Dec. 12, 2012

Car accidents can be caused by any number of things. Whether it’s distracted driving, driving under the influence, poor weather conditions or car failure, it’s important to know how to be the safest driver you can be, especially in the event of an accident. Tennessee residents may be interested to know some of the recent figures regarding collision rates in the United States, and how they may correlate to certain communities of people.

A study conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute was recently reported to have done some predicting about how accident amounts will fare twenty years from now and who the data might be pointing to for such results. They worked on these numbers by using 2010’s collision data and age groupings. A curious thought is that the rates could be affected by the amount of baby boomers who will not be driving in the year 2030; however, the institute reportedly didn’t find that to be a major factor. Another, more supported thought by the study is that the amount of teen drivers on the road will go down. The institute’s conclusion ultimately was reported that there would be little change in the amount of claims from now to then.

The study expects that the amount of teen drivers will lower as a whole by the date they were projecting out to. The current percentage of collision claims for drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 is roughly 70 percent higher than the average amount for any age range. Whether or not their prediction of collision rates comes to fruition, the information that the Highway Loss Data Institute has offered up could serve as a helpful resource to learn where some problem areas may be and begin to work on more ways to prevent collisions.

Tennessee drivers are always at risk of getting into an accident no matter the reason, as many accidents involve more than one car. For those who believe that they were injured or lost someone due to another party’s negligence or driving while under the influence, working with an attorney could help to recover some damages that have been lost due to the new and unforeseen expenses. Understanding the laws regarding distracted driving and personal injury in your area can help someone be able to move on from a tragic and harmful crash better.

Source: The New York Times, “How will aging baby boomers affect crash rates?,” Cheryl Jensen, Dec.3, 2012

It’s been close to three months since the tragic accident occurred involving a van full of church-goers was returning from a weekend trip away. There were two fatalities in the accident, as Knoxville residents likely recall, and the young man driving the other car was arrested shortly after being discharged from nearby hospital on several criminal charges. That man was arraigned earlier this morning and the charges brought against him included several counts of vehicular homicide.

The 21-year-old man is still in custody, held on a bond of $2 million, one source details. His plea has been reported to be scheduled for a spring 2013 date. He was also said to have been indicted on several other charges by the grand jury of Sevier County earlier this year. Those charges include DUI, nine vehicular assault counts and the vehicular homicide charges.

The families of those who were injured or lost in this crash could use the information decided on in his criminal charges in their own civil suits, should they choose to. Wrongful death may be a path they wish to take in the wake of their loved one’s deaths, especially if they are suffering from the extra financial burden of having lost an income along with their family member.

The people returning from their retreat belonged to the Baptist Church in Cedar Grove. One of the two passengers killed was a 16-year-old girl and the other was a 45-year-old man. For other Tennessee residents who have lost someone to an accident similar to this one, making sure that you understand all of the options available to you as you begin to move forward from the tragedy could help you with the healing process. Should you wish to pursue a suit of personal injury or wrongful death, contacting legal counsel could help you with your case.

Source: knoxnews.com, “Man arraigned in double-fatality wreck involving church van,” Jim Balloch, Dec. 3, 2012

· Our firm handles personal injury cases involving motor vehicle accidents. To learn more, visit the automobile accident page on our Prior, Priest & Harber website.

Drivers in Tennessee have no doubt seen distracted drivers on streets and highways, increasing the danger for a car accident to occur. As times have changed, so have the distractions available to less-than-careful drivers. In the old days, fiddling with a car radio or trying to light a cigarette might cause someone to veer into oncoming traffic. As technology has improved, so have the options for distraction: first cell phones and then texting have proved to be dangerous hazards.

Now, however, another threat has emerged: surfing the Internet while driving. According to a new survey, nearly half of drivers ages 18 to 29 admit to “webbing” while driving. The increase in recent years — thanks to the preponderance of smart phones — has been dramatic. The incidence of younger drivers checking their phones for information on the Web has jumped from 29 percent three years ago to 48 percent today.

As more and more states have laws in place outlawing texting while driving — or even using a phone without a hands-free device while driving — auto manufacturers and technology companies have been working to come up with alternatives for those drivers who can’t let a minute go by without their virtual lives at their fingertips.

Some of the features of the nascent technology permit it to be used only when a car is parked. However, some do allow voice-activated prompts that permit Facebook and Twitter updates to be read aloud to the driver. One application has built-in composed responses to enable a driver to appear engaged with a social media application even when they’re on the move.

Source: MSN Autos, “Distracted driving due to Web surfing is on the rise,” Douglas Newcomb, Nov. 26, 2012