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Author: Anthony Proffitt

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Drunk Driving Accidents

What kind of injuries can a drunk driver cause?

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.

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Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Factors that contribute to truck accident fatalities

When most people in the Knoxville area think about truck accidents, they think of the kind that involves other motor vehicles. Many commercial vehicle collisions involve pedestrians. People who are walking down or across the streets become unsuspecting victims of negligent commercial vehicle operators. According to American Trucker, large commercial vehicles cause more than 140,000 injuries on the roads each year. 

Semis, big rigs and trailers are so heavy that when one takes into consideration speed, force and other contributing factors, it becomes easier to understand the potential for victims to end up with serious and life-threatening injuries. There are many factors that can lead to truck accidents. 

  •        Speed
  •        Alcohol and other substances
  •        Type of vehicles involved
  •        Vehicle operator experience
  •        Mechanical failure
  •        Negligent driving behavior 

While passenger style cars are more likely to cause truck accidents, those involving commercial vehicles are more likely to cause some victims a great deal of pain, suffering and financial duress. Recovering from accidents that involved trucks is not always easy. 

How to prevent truck accidents 

The New York Times states that almost 25 percent of work-zone fatal motor vehicle accidents involve trucks and large commercial vehicles. Motorists can reduce the number of commercial vehicle accidents that occur by keeping track of their driving actions. Enrolling in refresher driving courses, paying attention to the roads, extending proper traffic and driving courtesies and obeying all traffic laws are other ways that driver can make the roads safer. 

They should also be mindful of their vehicles’ position when riding near commercial vehicles. Drivers should not make abrupt stops in front of moving trucks. They should also avoid driving too closely behind semis and other types of trucks. Trucks take longer to stop and operate. Regular motorists are not always capable of moving their vehicles in time to avoid collisions. 

Truck accidents are hard to walk away from without injuries. Because they have the potential to seriously disrupt one’s life, it is important for victims to make provisions in advance and get expert legal advice.

Categories
Truck Accidents

Truck accident myths to help you avoid collisions

During the last decade or so, there has been an increase in effort and regulations to help curb the number of truck accidents that happen in Knoxville and across the country. Although they do not happen as often as car accidents, they occur often enough for motorists to become more educated about truckers, their responsibilities and common truck accident myths that put them at risk of injury. 

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute, the number of people who lost their lives in large truck accidents was 3,852 in 2015. Many people who survive in truck accidents have serious wounds. They also end up with medical bills, lost wages and other issues from their accidents. Motorists should take some time to learn about some common truck accident myths to better understand the steps they must take to improve their situations and seek compensation. 

Truckers are the safest drivers on the roads 

22 percent of truck accidents are caused by trucker error, states the GTG Technology Group. Not all truckers follow their training and traffic laws. Often, they are overworked and focused on meeting their delivery times. Many truckers make mistakes when they operate their vehicles that lead to collisions. 

Drivers are well-rested 

Truckers work long shifts and may not have time to get enough sleep before returning to work each day. Also, driving their trucks for long periods of time with few breaks in between can cause them to become tired and bored. Fatigue diminishes their driving performance, alertness and decision-making capabilities. 

Truckers do not drink 

Truckers are prohibited from using alcohol several hours before and during their shifts. The rules regarding alcohol use in the trucking industry are among the strictest in the world. Despite this, some commercial vehicle operators disregard those rules. Alcohol use leads to impairment, roll-over incidents and collisions. 

Many truck collision victims find it challenging to manage the aftermath of their accidents on their own. Some of them find it beneficial to rely on the guidance, support and resources their attorneys provide.

Categories
Motorcycle Accidents

Common motorcycle riding myths debunked

Many motorists in Tennessee have false impressions about motorcycle riders that can lead them to make mistakes that endanger themselves and other drivers. According to the Insurance Information Institute, motor vehicle collisions involving motorcycles were the cause of 4,976 fatalities in 2015. 

Some individuals do not consider how fragile their bodies are until they are lying on the side of the road after falling or being thrown from their bikes in a collision. The risk of serious injury is all too real and avoidable in most cases. Here is a brief overview on how a few myths can impact overall road safety. 

Helmets are not necessary 

Many motorcyclists do not believe helmet use is necessary. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute, many states have laws making it illegal for individuals to ride without them. However, many people choose to ride their motorcycles without them. 

The bigger the bike, the better the ride 

Big motorcycles may seem cool. But novice bikers may have trouble handling them because of their inexperience and the sheer weight of their vehicles. Bigger motorcycles also have more power and can be significantly harder for riders to operate. 

Drivers can see them 

Unlike cars, SUVs and trucks, motorcycles are relatively small. They take up much less space on the road and are harder to see. Drivers do not always know when there are motorcyclists riding in the back and on the side of them. Even though their mirrors are adjusted perfectly, and they are following all traffic rules and laws, riders sometimes position themselves in the blind spots of other drivers. 

When it comes to operating a vehicle, especially a motorcycle, it is important for you to know the difference between fact and fiction. Some myths may sound like they make sense. But they may go against the rules of traffic and compromise the safety of all motorists.

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

More people dying on U.S. roads

Too many Tennessee residents may rightly be exhausted by the seemingly endless slew of reports detailing motor vehicle accidents in which people are killed. It only takes a split second for one person’s thoughtless and negligent choice to lead to deadly results. Sadly, this trend does not show many signs of abating quite yet.

Reports recently released from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administation show that last year represented the second year in a row with a jump in the number of lives lost in vehicular accidents in the United States. With more than 37,400 fatalities, last year was the deadliest year on the road in America in a whole nine years. Two years prior, in 2014, the nation posted the lowest number of accident deaths. 

This information certainly makes people wonder what has changed since 2014. The data points to speeding and the resistance to wearing seat belts or other safety restraints as factors in many of the fatalities. The number of deaths in 2016 is actually 5.6 percent higher than in 2015. It seems that even while auto manufacturers work to push safety advances in vehicles, the fact remains that only so much can be done to keep people safe from the choices and actions of others.

Tennessee families who must struggle through the loss of a loved one after a completely unnecessary and senseless car accident might want to talk with a lawyer to understand how they might seek compensation. 

Source: USA Today, “Deadly car crashes are on the rise again, hitting a 9-year high,” Nathan Bomey, October 6, 2017

Categories
Truck Accidents

Government rules address trucker fatigue

Any time that you find yourself next to a semi truck on the road in Tennessee, you are instantly reminded of just how much bigger than any other vehicle these big rigs really are. Regardless of whether you drive a coupe or a full-sized pickup truck, you know that if you were to be involved in a crash involving a semi truck, you would be at great risk of injury or even death simply because of the size and weight differential of your vehicles.

This is just one of the reasons that truckers have a big responsibility to operate their vehicles safely. This includes remaining alert and awake when being the wheel. The issue of fatigue among commercial truck drivers is a serious one and has actually been addressed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the past few years. In an effort to curb fatigue among truckers, the FMCSA instituted what it calls the Hours of Service rule.

This rule prevents a trucker from working more than 14 hours in one day and from driving more than 11 of those 14 hours in one day. It also specifies the maximum number of hours a trucker may work in a seven- or eight-day work week. When one week is over, a break lasting at least 34 hours is required before starting the next working period.

If you would like to learn more about how the FMCSA is trying to improve safety on the roads, please feel free to visit the fatigued trucker page of our Tennessee motor vehicle accident and personal injury website.

Categories
Truck Accidents

Texting and driving: truckers are also at fault

The majority of America is likely aware of the major distraction cell phones can create for drivers. Yet many do not consider that issue when applied to truck drivers — those who frequent Tennessee’s roads more than any other type of traveller. Even though they may be the most familiar with these roads, are truckers also guilty of texting and driving?

With their inevitable huge presence on roads, many might assume that truckers keep a particularly close eye on their actions while driving. However, ABC News reveals a side of truck driving that would startle most: the act of using a cell phone while operating the vehicle. Through a stream of alleged accounts in which truckers collided with other vehicles due to cell phone distractions, ABC reveals that everyday drivers are not the only ones at fault for driving distractedly. One relatively recent event in which a trucker had been looking down at his phone instead of bringing his truck to a stop led to the deaths of a Pennsylvania couple. Another in Arizona involved the death of a police officer, when a trucker was distracted by photos on his phone and slammed into police cars and emergency vehicles.

It is clear that all types of drivers are capable of operating a vehicle while distracted by cell phones. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has published rules for truck and bus drivers that prohibit them from driving under such distractions, making clear that these professions offer no exception to state law. The FMCSA reveals that texting while driving can ultimately result in driver disqualification, and that penalties can range from $2,750 for drivers and up to $11,000 for employers who allow or require drivers to use a device primarily for the purpose of texting while driving. Everyday drivers are not the only Tennesseeans guilty of texting and driving, and they are also not the only ones facing severe consequences if caught doing so.    

   

 

 

 

Categories
Drunk Driving Accidents

Drugged driving and drunk driving: two major issues in tennessee

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.     

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Preventing teenage car accidents

Many Knoxville parents are aware that one of the most exciting moments in their teens’ lives is when they get their driver’s license. In all their excitement about the achievement, some parents forget that their adolescent children are still inexperienced. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenagers are more likely to lose their lives in car accidents than any other type of incident. 

Their driver’s education does not stop once they become licensed. Many of them lack experience and may not understand the different scenarios they are bound to encounter. Many teenage drivers usually resort to using the driving behaviors their parents’ exhibit when they are in their vehicles. Parents play an important role in their teenagers’ driving performance, states Teendrivingsource.org. Anyone who wants to help their teens to become more responsible and safer motorists should consider the following tips. 

Encourage them 

Some teenagers feel pressured when they are behind the wheel. Their lack of confidence can cause them to make errors and miss hazards that could result in crashes and injuries. Parents should encourage and motivate them to use safe and proper driving actions. 

Have them take additional instruction 

Traditional driver’s education courses do not provide teens with enough experience to handle every potential situation they may encounter. Parents should enroll their teens in continuing driving instruction courses so they can gain more experience and fine-tune their skills. 

Talk to them 

Parents should have regular discussions with their teens about their driving behaviors. They should also educate teenage motorists about the dangers they should always be on guard against and remind them about the local driving laws and rules regarding passengers and their driver’s license level. 

Many teenage car accidents are preventable. Parents should become the example they want their teens to follow. They should use and encourage their young drivers to use proper driving behaviors to increase their safety when they are behind the wheel.

Categories
Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents can lead to brain and spinal trauma

Many motorcycle riders do not realize how much a single accident can change their lives. Many of them feel like they are invincible while they are riding on the streets and toss safety to the wind. Some of them do not believe that a car accident is not the only type of incident that can result in spinal cord and brain trauma, paralysis and death. Motorcycle accidents in Knoxville often lead to brain damage, disability and death too. 

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute, the number of motorcyclists who were injured in crashes during 2015 was 88,000. Bikers are more likely to sustain serious injuries than minor ones because their vehicles lack structures that can offer protection against collisions and impact. When riders do not wear helmets, their chances of sustaining long-term spinal cord and brain damage increase. 

Brain and spinal trauma are often long-lasting 

Not all motorcycle accident victims show obvious signs of brain injuries. Many people who have them look and function normally. Riders who sustain brain trauma may experience memory loss, changes in their personalities and perception, states CNN. The presence of a traumatic brain injury is not easy for some victims to prove because the symptoms are not always obvious and permanent. Individuals who suffer from spinal cord damage and brain trauma often need medical care, rehabilitation and support for the rest of their lives. Some of them lose mobility in their lower extremities, become permanently disabled and die. 

There is no way for anyone to know how minor or serious their injuries will be in a crash until after it happens. To alleviate much of the uncertainty and risk of life-changing injuries, motorcyclists should remember to make safety a top priority when they ride. They should also use safety gear and helmets.