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Car Accidents

Common causes for accidents not relating to alcohol

Drivers in Tennessee and across the entire country are aware of the fact that drunk driving is dangerous and can end lives. But what about the other common road hazards? Here’s a look at some of the top causes for crashes that don’t involve alcohol.

Distracted driving comes in at the top of the list. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has named distracted driving as one of the biggest current threats to drivers. The numbers continue to worsen by the year, showing that it’s a persistent problem. Hazards can come in the form of visual, cognitive, or manual distraction. In short, distracted driving can involve taking one’s eyes off the road, letting thoughts drift, or physically removing hands from the steering wheel.

Driving while fatigued is another common issue, and the National Sleep Foundation claims it can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. This is because a drowsy person has similar reaction times and cognitive awareness as someone who has had too much to drink. They are more likely to get distracted, as well. In some cases, it’s even possible for extremely fatigued drivers to fall asleep at the wheel, easily leading to crashes.

Finally, speeding is a big problem. Drivers cite many different reasons for going over the speed limit. They may be late for an appointment, suffering from an emergency, or maybe they just want to beat traffic. In any case, higher speeds equal a higher chance of getting into an accident.

These are just a few of the many different catalysts for accidents on the road. They are all also preventable, just like drunk driving, which means behavioral awareness can help cut down on these accident causes.

Categories
Motorcycle Accidents

Do drivers share the road with you?

Motorcyclists in Tennessee often face more hardships than others on the road due to the small size of their vehicles. Those who get into accidents will fortunately have Pryor, Priest & Harber to lean on.

Motorcyclists are often times the victim of other drivers and their inability to “share the road”. What is this, exactly? It’s the act of being mindful while driving, and not encroaching into the space of other drivers, even if their vehicle is much smaller than your own.

If you are a victim of a driver not sharing the road, you can be put into many compromising situations. A few examples include being pushed into the shoulder or another lane of traffic, or being hit by the vehicle in question because they don’t notice or see you. If your path has ever been obstructed by a vehicle or if you have ever needed to change lanes to avoid being hit, you have experienced a driver not sharing the road.

In most cases, a driver is not intentionally trying to behave in this way. Unfortunately, however, even accidental actions can lead to hogging the road and it may result in dangerous situations for you, the motorcyclist.

The aggressive driving behavior of other vehicles can spell immediate danger for you. Fortunately, there are things you can do to get the compensation you deserve if you have been hurt because of another driver’s inability to share the road with you. If you want to read more, take a look at the link here and browse through our website on motorcycle accidents and their victims.

Categories
Truck Accidents

Is that truck about to jackknife?

Tennessee residents may not be able to predict every single potential crash that can happen on the roads. However, there are some signs that can help you determine if trucks are more likely to get into an accident, so you can steer clear.

As stated by The Free Dictionary, jackknifing occurs because the brakes fail or otherwise do not work as intended, or because a tire’s traction does not hold. These failures can happen for a number of reasons, and frequently include the following.

Maintenance or parts failures. If a truck is not adequately maintained, then its parts won’t be able to work as intended, either. Brakes should be monitored carefully and replaced or fixed as needed, and trucks need to be checked frequently to ensure that certain pieces aren’t faulty or defective from the shop. Old or damaged trucks could indicate poor maintenance.

Human error. Truck drivers are under strenuous conditions to make their deliveries and can commit a number of mistakes while in these stressful situations. Under-loading the truck or distributing the weight poorly can contribute to jackknifing, as can speeding or taking corners too quickly. Pay attention to erratic driving and steer clear if you see any.

Weather. If the conditions of the road lessen the tire’s traction, then it also increases a truck’s chances of jackknifing. Particularly dangerous conditions involve ice or snow, but even rain can be enough to send a trailer spinning.

Jackknifing trucks can cause massive amounts of damage to surrounding vehicles simply because of their size and weight. If you have been caught up in an accident with a jackknifing truck, you may wish to explore your legal options.

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Fiery head-on collision kills three

Every person in Tennessee knows that car accidents can and do happen. However, this is not what most people think of every time they get into a vehicle nor should they. Everyone deserves the ability to believe that all drivers will make wise choices and they will arrive at their intended destinations safely. When this does not happen, it is reasonable for people to want to seek answers to questions and some sort of compensation for their losses or injuries.

Today family members of three people killed in a tragic and dramatic accident may well be in this exact position. This is because their loved ones were essentially burnt to death after a car crash ignited into a burst of a flames. The incident is said to have been caused by a driver who crossed over into the opposing lane of traffic. This vehicle was said to have been moving faster than the speed limit although how much faster is not known. It is also not known if alcohol or distraction may have been factors.

Once driving the wrong way, the vehicle engaged in a head-on crash. Both of these vehicles caught on fire. A third vehicle also ended up hitting the second one. In total four people had injuries identified as critical and three people were killed. Their bodies were burnt so badly that dental records will be the only way to positively identify them.

Grieving Tennessee residents deserve to know that they may learn about compensation options in times like these by talking with an experienced lawyer.

Source: WREG.com, “Three killed in fatal Southeast Shelby County crash,” Daniel Rubio and Luke Jones, January 5, 2018

Categories
Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk driving problems persist in Tennessee

It has been many decades now since large-scale efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving in Tennessee have been initiated. Advocacy groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Students Against Drunk Driving along with local governments and law enforcement entities are just some of the groups behind this awareness. However, even with these efforts and laws that might be stricter than they were in years past, too many people continue to be injured or killed by drunk drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 291 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in Knox County between 2012 and 2016. Of those, 77 died in accidents involving alcohol. That means more than 26 percent of all fatalities during that five-year period were due to drunk drivers.

Statewide, the number of vehicular fatalities associated with impaired driving due to alcohol remains concerning. In 2016, there were 223 such deaths. While this number is lower than in prior years, it nonetheless is 223 deaths higher than it should be.

The ongoing deaths and realities of drunk driving accidents make it logical to wonder if the state’s drunk driving laws are tough enough.

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, it is not until a person is convicted of fourth drunk driving offense that a charge is considered a felony. A fourth driving under the influence charge is treated as a Class E felony. First, second and third offenses are still treated as misdemeanors. A DUI may be charged against a driver with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher. It is not until a BAC exceeds 0.20 percent that consequences increase.

 

 

 

Categories
Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents

Why are fixed object collisions sometimes fatal?

When you think about the fatal car accidents that occur in Tennessee, you may immediately think of collisions with multiple vehicles. A single-vehicle collision can be deadly, though, if a car crashes into a tree or other fixed objects.

Collisions between a car and a fixed object can be fatal for many reasons. According to Road and Track magazine, when most cars run into a fixed object, they do not collide head-on. This means that if 25 percent of your bumper hits the object, your car’s supportive structure cannot take the brunt of the impact and your car has less time to slow down. In this scenario, your suspension system can move backward and may sometimes cause damage to your steering column and the door frame.

This situation can be fatal because you travel at the same speed as your car. Your body typically continues to move forward even when your car slows down after hitting a fixed object. Additionally, your vehicle may rotate if a collision was not head-on. This means that your body may hit a window or move toward your car’s center instead of being cushioned by the airbag. After your car hits an object, it may sometimes spin and crash into another object. This can sometimes cause seats to become unattached from the floor.

Fixed object collisions can be fatal for passengers as well. As your car rotates, passengers may experience more deceleration on their side of the car, and the wounds they incur can be more serious if they are not wearing seat belts. 

This information is intended to educate and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Categories
Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents and alcohol

While Tennessee residents may know it is dangerous to drink alcohol before driving their car, they may not always consider the hazards of riding a motorcycle while intoxicated. It is important for people to understand that they may be involved in a fatal collision if they drink before getting on their motorcycle.

Drinking can make motorcycle accidents more deadly than other kinds of motor vehicle crashes. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the blood alcohol concentration of passenger car drivers was 0.08 or higher in 21 percent of the fatal collisions that occurred in 2015. Motorcyclists, though, had a BAC level higher than the legal limit in 27 percent of fatal motorcycle accidents. Bikers wearing helmets are not necessarily safer than bikers without this headgear. Motorcyclists wore helmets in 51 percent of the fatal crashes in 2015. Additionally, collisions that occurred at night involved a legally drunk motorcycle rider in 42 percent of these incidents.

When motorcyclists are involved in fatal collisions because they are drunk, the crash is usually not their first. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that in 2014, 13 percent of motorcyclists who were in a fatal accident and had a BAC level of 0.08 or higher had been in a prior collision, while 24 percent had ther license either revoked or suspended at some point. Additionally, 18 percent of bikers in fatal crashes had speeding convictions on their driving record.

A motorcyclist’s age sometimes is a factor in fatal collisions involving alcohol. Bikers between the ages of 21 and 24 were involved in 30 percent of fatal accidents in 2014, while bikers between the ages of 45 and 54 were involved in 20 percent of these incidents. Gender may also play a role. Men were involved in 23 percent of the fatal collisions that occurred in 2014, while women were involved in 15 percent.  

 

Categories
Truck Accidents

Potential change to truckers’ rules

People in Tennessee who have ever been in a standard passenger vehicle right up next to a large commercial vehicle like a tractor trailer know how immediately dwarfed and vulnerable they can feel. The size differential alone can be foreboding and when the difference in weight between these types of vehicles is considered, it is no wonder why accidents involving semi trucks can be so incredibly dangerous and often deadly.

It is for this reason that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration outlines a robust set of rules that truckers must follow in order to ensure safety on the road for everyone. One of these rules is called the Hours of Service rule. This basically outlines when a trucker may operate a vehicle and when breaks must be taken. It also stipulates how long a break should last. There is a maximum number of hours able to be worked per day and a maximum number of hours able to be driven per day. The goal is to prevent undue trucker fatigue.

Now the FMCSA is preparing to review some potential changes to these rules for times when a truck driver operates a big rig for personal purposes instead of for work. This is called for personal conveyance. It is unclear exactly what, if any, changes may ultimately be made to the rules for these times but the need for safety remains the same regardless of the reason the truck is being driven.

Tennessee residents who are involved in a large truck crash might want to contact an attorney to learn how they should seek compensation.

Source: Transport Topics, “FMCSA Proposes Revised Hours-Of-Service Personal Conveyance Guidance,” John Sommers II, December 18, 2017

Categories
Drunk Driving Accidents

Knox County leads region in drunk driving deaths

It has been many decades now since groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving began their important efforts to highlight the dangers of drinking and driving. Because of this, many people might assume that drivers in Tennessee today make the right decision when it comes to consuming alcohol and operating motor vehicles. Sadly, this is not the case. Despite widespread public awareness and a growing number of ride options including ridesharing services, too many innocent people continue to be killed by drunk drivers.

In looking at data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it is clear that Knox County is far and away the deadliest county among its neighboring counties when it comes to drunk driving fatalities. Over the five years spanning from 2012 to 2016, a total of 77 lives were lost in Knox County at the hands of people who refused to put away their car keys after consuming alcohol. The neighboring county with the next-closest number of fatalities in that period was Blount County where 27 people died.

In Sevier, Anderson and Loudon Counties intoxicated drivers claimed another 19, 17 and 11 lives, respectively. Roane and Jefferson Counties were each the locations of another 10 vehicular fatalities involving alcohol. Rounding out the region were Grainger County where eight drunk driving deaths occurred and finally Union County where another six drunk driving deaths were recorded.

If you would like to learn more about how to get help after an accident caused by a negligent drunk driver, please feel free to visit the impaired driving crash assistance page of our Tennessee personal injury and accident website.

Categories
Car Accidents

Car skids and accidents

When one thinks of car accidents in Knoxville, one of the first things that come to mind is speed. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute, 966 people lost their lives in 2016 to car crashes. Many accidents happen when excessive speeds are an issue. Some incidents that involve excessive and slow speeds happen because there were slick road conditions. No matter how motor vehicle wrecks happen, the pain and suffering they cause are often heartbreaking and challenging for victims and their families to live with. 

When a vehicle skids on the street, the driver is no longer capable of controlling it. Keep in mind that the driver’s actions before the skidding starts plays a major role in the outcome. Fatigue, panic and intoxication often cause inattentive and inexperienced motorists to overcompensate in their actions. As they attempt to control their vehicles by jerking their steering wheels, they lose control of their cars. Many insurers and accident reconstruction experts use tire skid marks to determine the speed of vehicles in car accidents, states Sciencing.com. 

It is imperative for drivers to pay attention to the roads, weather conditions and traffic when they are behind their steering wheels. They should also be mindful of how other people drive around them. When hazardous conditions arise that increase their risk of collisions, they should rely on their knowledge, education and stay calm. Drivers should also operate their vehicles safely by adhering to posted speeds, the flow of traffic and road and weather conditions. When the streets are slick, icy and wet, drivers should adjust their speeds and driving behaviors so they are suitable for the conditions they are in.