Dangerous Motorcyclists

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I hold police officers and state troopers in the highest regard. Every time they buckle their seat belt and hit the road they put their life in danger. My prayers go out today for a Trooper who was injured when he wrecked as he attempted to pull over a dangerous motorcycle rider.

According to local media reports said the crash happened just before 3 p.m. on Old Nashville Highway, north of McEwen, Tennessee. As the motorcycle rider topped a hill while fleeing arrest, passed between two cars on the roadway. As the Trooper crested the same hill, he attempted to avoid colliding with the two vehicles and spun out into the ditch.

The Trooper suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. Four other people also suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash and were transported to the Horizon Medical Center in Dickson.

Although the rider escaped, witnesses have given the police information that will lead them to him. Drivers who flee lawful stops can and do create situations that can end in death and serious injury. He probably thinks he got away with his lawlessness but time will tell.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident caused by a careless driver, contact the experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Red Lights Mean Stop

A 20-year-old motorcyclist is killed in a crash with a pickup truck. According to witnesses, the motorcycle failed to stop for a traffic signal that had just turned red. The motorcycle then hit the front of the pickup in the intersection. They went on to say that motorcycle was accelerating to make the light but were unable to say how fast the motorcycle was traveling at the time of the collision.

Traffic Signals are used to control vehicle drivers and pedestrians at some intersections and crosswalks. Signals promote better movement of traffic on busy roads by assigning the right of way. Traffic Signals are usually placed at heavily traveled intersections.

These lights tell you when or where to stop and go. A green light means you can go if it is safe. A yellow light means caution—prepare to stop for the red light. The red light always means stop. Standard traffic lights are red, yellow and green, from top to bottom respectively.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville auto/motorcycle accident caused by a red light runner contact the experienced Nashville auto attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Keep Alert For Motorcylists

Instead of telling someone who rides a motorcycle how dangerous it is, look twice before switching lanes, making turns, or pulling out of a driveway. Stay on your side of the rode, especially when turning corners. Don’t follow to closely and keep your eyes on the road and off your cell phones, the relationship between car and truck drivers and motorcycles is truly a life and death affair.

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating, and most of the time the accident isn’t even the motorcycle rider’s fault. Very often other drivers are the ones who cause motorcycle accidents. As a motorcyclist, you compete for space on Tennessee roads and highways with much larger vehicles whose drivers don’t always remember to look out for you when they turn or change lanes.  Not only that, but as you know roads are not always designed with motorcycle riders in mind, and seemingly harmless road or highway design features or flaws can prove dangerous, even deadly.

Read More

Motorcycle Fatalities

Some time, this past year, I reported on a fatal accident in Pennsylvania in which a drunk driver crossed the centerline and rammed into a large group of motorcyclists. The crash resulted in the death of two and left more than one dozen riders injured. The woman has pleaded not guilty to a host of charges, including vehicular homicide. She awaits trial. In a civil suit filed this past week by the wives of the two dead men, they named the woman as well as a trio of Pennsylvania bars that she identified as having sold her drinks on the day of the accident.

Read More

Phillip Miller – Protecting the Rights of Motorcycle Accident Injury Victims

Tennessee Motorcycle Accident Fatality

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating, and most of the time the accident isn’t even the motorcycle rider’s fault.  Very often other drivers are the ones who cause motorcycle accidents, or something as simple as faulty road design or poorly planned construction can contribute to a crash.

That was the case in Bradley County, Tennessee, when a man and a woman were riding their motorcycle along the highway and attempted to pass two vehicle when a motorist attempted to turn left into a private driveway, directly in front of the motorcycle leaving the driver no chance to take evasive action. The motorcycle slammed into the driver’s side of the vehicle. The driver was taken to the hospital in serious condition, but his passenger died at the scene.

Read More

Two Motorcyclists Die in Accident

An Illinois woman allowed herself to be distracted by reaching down to the floorboard to pick up her sunglasses and ended up being sentenced to 7 years in prison. It’s a terrible story and illustrates the importance of avoiding distractions while driving.

When she finally looked up she immediately rammed into the rear-end of a car stopped in front of her. The collision caused a chain reaction that sent the first car into an intersection causing it to collide with several motorcycles that had the right of way. As the result of her action, a 44-year-old man and his wife were killed and a number of other motorcyclists were injured. She plead guilty to aggravated driving under the influence.

Distraction from the primary task of driving could present a serious and potentially deadly danger. There has been increased attention on the danger of distracted driving recently, specifically on the dangers of cell phone use and texting while driving. Other secondary task involvement includes eating, drinking, conversing with passengers, as well as interaction with invehicle technologies and portable electronic devices. Less obvious forms of cognitive distractions such as daydreaming or dealing with strong emotions also present potentially dangerous situations for drivers.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle crash by a distracted driver or a case like the present one that will require an experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer, contact Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000.

Photo: AA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Helmets Work

Motorcycle helmets provide the best protection from head injury for motorcyclists involved in traffic crashes. The passage of helmet use laws governing all motorcycle riders is the most effective method of increasing helmet use. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) encourages States to enact legislation that requires all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Additionally, NHTSA strongly supports comprehensive motorcycle safety programs that include motorcycle helmet usage, rider education, motorcycle operator licensing, and responsible use of alcohol.

Read More

No Helmet, Speed and Alcohol

A friend sent me an article from his local newspaper that describes the last seconds of the life of a motorcycle rider. Offices were called to the scene and found a motorcyclist who had lost control and then hit a tree and a telephone pole. The victim was a 36-year-old man who was not wearing a helmet and police surmised that alcohol and speed appeared to have played a role in the crash. No helmet, alcohol and speed is a dangerous, and in this case deadly cocktail. Motorcyclists never win when they hit trees and telephone poles at speed.

Read More

Wear Your Helmet

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney I read an article the other day reporting that a motorcyclist lost control of his bike and hit another vehicle, left the road and hit a tree. Unfortunately this type of event is increasing in frequency and I’d like to bring you some important facts to consider.

Read More

Avoid Distractions

A late night motorcycle crash will pose some interesting questions for the Tennessee State Trooper investigating the crash. According to local media reports, a 42-year-old Bristol, VA man driving a 2007 Harley Davidson, was traveling north on US Hwy. 421 when it crossed over the southbound lane of traffic and left the road.  The motorcycle then struck wooden guard posts.

What events could cause a driver to cross and leave the road and strike guardrails? As an experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorney, my guess is that the man might have fallen asleep as he drove. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any of the facts at the case, but I have seen crashes like this one and drowsy driving was the casue.

The lesson here for Nashville drivers is that we all must avoid distractions when we are driving on the highways and byways of Tennessee. If you are taking medication of any kind, pay particular attention to the instructions and remind yourselves to keep an eye on your driving

Injured is a motor vehicle accident? If so you owe it to your family and friends to call for a free consultation with the motorcycle accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates, and find out about yourrights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000.