Drinking And Driving Don't Mix

The off-duty Nashville firefighter who led police on a high-speed chase from Lebanon to Hendersonville on Friday night told arresting officers that he failed to stop because he was afraid of getting a DUI. It is widely understood that getting a DUI would have a negative effect on this man’s job, but add to that a list of charges, including 23 counts of reckless endangerment, one count of leaving the scene of an accident and one count of evading arrest. He also faces two misdemeanor charges in Wilson County and was cited for 21 other traffic offenses in Gallatin, so I think it’s fair to say that this guy’s career is toast. Fortunately he didn’t kill anyone to save is job.

According to local media reports, the guy actually did get away from the pursuing officers who broke off the chase when the man reached speed of 110 MPH and began running stop signs. From my point of view they did the right thing because the man showed a reckless indifference to human life. Well stupid is as stupid does, the pursuing officers were able to identify the man from his license plate and he was arrested in Nashville about 4 AM.

As an experienced car accident lawyer I want to remind you that driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. If you follow my blog you will see that in Tennessee we continue to see a tragic number of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving. This careless disregard for human life must stop.

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. In Tennessee in 2008, 327 people were killed in crashes where the driver or motorcyclist had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. That is down from 377 people killed in 2007 with a BAC of .08 or higher. Over the 2008 Labor Day holiday, 12 people were killed in 10 fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways, down from 17 people killed on Tennessee roadways in 2007.

If you are a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car accident caused by a drunk driver you owe it to yourself to contact an experienced Nashville auto accident lawyer like those at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

Distracted Pedestrian

In Tennessee the relationship between pedestrians and drivers is an important one. Both the driver and the pedestrians have rules to follow to avoid a collision, which, when it happens, is never good for the pedestrian.

Drivers are required to always be on the lookout for pedestrians and are required to yield to them in designated crossing zones and at intersections. Pedestrians, on the other hand, have the duty to keep a watch out for oncoming vehicles. Pedestrians are prohibited from crossing in the middle of a block (Jay-Walking) and dashing into traffic from between parked cars are particularly frowned upon.

In any case, if there is a pedestrian/vehicle collision, the vehicle driver is required to stop, call emergency support and wait at the scene until released by police officers. This past week in Elizabethton a 47-year-old male pedestrian crossing busy Broad Street was struck and injured by a 2006 Saturn Ion around 9 p.m. The man suffered multiple injuries and was in stable condition at Johnson City Medical Center following the accident.

The 20-year-old driver initially left the scene but returned shortly thereafter. According to local media reports she told the police that she was frightened. Upon further investigation the police determined that the victim was crossing from the north side of Broad Street to the south side of the street and he was not crossing at a crosswalk.

Witnesses told police that before the accident the victim had almost been hit in the first eastbound lane by a van, and yet he continued crossing the street and was struck in the second eastbound lane by the young woman’s vehicle.

On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 113 minutes and injured in a traffic crash every 8 minutes.  There were 70,000 pedestrians injured in traffic crashes in 2007. Most pedestrian fatalities in 2007 occurred in urban areas (73%), at non-intersection locations (77%), in normal weather conditions (90%), and at night (67%). More than two-thirds (70%) of the pedestrians killed in 2007 were males.

For more information about highway traffic safety or what to do if you are the victim of a Tennessee automobile accident check out the experienced personal injury lawyers at Philip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation with a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer.

Photo courtesy of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Tennessee Child Pedestrian Killed

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I think I have found the Tennessee driver who has exemplified the type of driver that ought to serve an extremely long time in the state penitentiary and when and if he is released from prison should be electronically monitored to assure society that he never gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle again.

David Higgins, age 21, was driving drunk on an already suspended license, without car insurance. Witnesses say he was driving in a reckless manner, speeding along Winchester Blvd. when he made a sharp turn, at high speed, onto Outland Dr. where he ran over and killed a child. This lowlife tried to flee the scene but family members of the child subdued him until police arrived.

As an experienced Nashville car accident lawyer I want to remind you that driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. If you follow my blog you will see that in Tennessee we continue to see a tragic number of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving. This careless disregard for human life must stop.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a drunk driver and you hope to recover all of the damages the law allows you need to consult with an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney like those at Phillip Miller & Associates. We offer a free consultation so that you can gain the information you will need to face this odyssey through the legal system.

Drunk Tennessee Driver With Unsecured Children In Vehicle

A rear-end crash in South Memphis, Tennessee ends with the arrest of a 49-year-old Olive Branch, Mississippi man who is charged with two counts of driving under the influence, child endangerment, violation of child restraint law, and violation of financial law for driving without insurance. A breathalyzer test determined his blood-alcohol content to be more than three times the legal limit.

The suspect rammed into the rear-end of a stopped vehicle and had two children, a 5-year-old and a 10-year-old, unrestrained, in the backseat of his vehicle. This guy ought to lose his driver’s license and driving privilege for a long period of time. To get his attention the court needs to add some jail time followed by strict, pee in the cup, probation.

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. In Tennessee in 2008, 327 people were killed in crashes where the driver or motorcyclist had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.

Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants (less than 1 year old) and by 54 percent for toddlers (1 to 4 years old) in passenger cars. Young children restrained in child safety seats have an 80 percent lower risk of fatal injury than those who are unrestrained.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee highway automobile accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident law firm of Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to determine your rights and remedies.

What Distracted The Truck Driver?

A tractor-trailer/fire truck collision on I-75 near Powell, Tennessee, is surrounded by some serious questions. As an experienced Nashville tractor-trailer accident attorney, I have to ask myself just what was this tractor-trailer driver doing that so distracted him , that he didn’t see a fire truck, at night, with it’s emergency lights flashing?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes. Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event.  Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness.

As the economy begins it’s recovery, one of the first signs will be the increasing numbers of tractor-trailers on the highways and byways of Tennessee.  As an experienced Tennessee tractor-trailer accident attorney I have handled dozens of cases involving tractor-trailer wrecks on Interstate highways and when investigating these accidents drowsiness or drivers falling asleep as a cause, are the hardest to prove.

However, there are a number of clues at a crash scene that tell investigators that the person fell asleep at the wheel. For example, drowsy driving accidents usually involve only one vehicle where the driver is alone and the injuries tend to be serious or fatal. Also, skid marks or evidence of other evasive maneuvers are usually absent from the drowsy driving crash scene.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving “is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities.” But among all the major factors that cause or contribute to crashes, like speeding, alcohol use, and weather situations, drowsiness is the most difficult for police and other crash investigators to detect and quantify.

Sleepiness and driving is a dangerous combination. Most people are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving but don’t realize that drowsy driving can be just as fatal. Like alcohol, sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases awareness, impairs judgment and increases your risk of crashing.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee tractor-trailer collision, time is of the essence. Contact the experienced Nashville tractor-trailer accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation.

Helmets Save Lives

A Tennessee man killed in motorcycle/truck intersection wreck in Florida when a Ford-350 pickup truck turned directly in his path at an intersection. According to the Florida Highway Patrol investigator and local media sources, the Tennessee motorcyclist had a green light and was proceeding through the intersection when the Ford pickup turned into his path. The man was taking advantage of Florida law, that allows him to ride without a helmet. My prayers go out to his family and friends.

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.

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.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a Nashville motorcycle accident or auto accident as a result of distracted driving or other negligent driving?  If so, you should call the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates, a Nashville motorcycle accident lawyer from our law firm will fight to help you win. We will treat you with the utmost compassion and respect. Call us today and speak with an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer to discuss the details of your case. Call (615) 356-2000.

Click it or Ticket

You would think that with the huge amounts of money the Mexican Drug cartels make, that they would spend a little of it instructing their drug mules on some of the basics of US traffic laws. High-visibility seat belt enforcement mobilizations are in operation in every state of the United States.  Because of these programs seat belt use increased nationwide and in virtually all States.

Violation of seat belt laws is one of the few traffic rules that law enforcement officers can observe without making a traffic stop. Reference a recent vehicle stop in Elizabethton Tennessee. Two Mexican nationals were driving a Honda and neither of them were wearing seat belts. A traffic enforcement unit pulled them over and neither had a valid driver’s license nor did they did they speak English.

The officer, while trying to communicate with the men, noticed a slight odor of marijuana in the car. He noticed a large bag, in plain view, behind the passenger seat which contained a large amount of a substance wrapped in plastic. He called for a drug dog and during the search the dog indicated a positive response for drugs. The bag contained 5 lbs. of pot.

It all started with a valid stop for failure to wear seat belts and it will end with a prison sentence. The lesson hear for all drivers in Tennessee, no matter whether you are a law abiding citizen or a drug dealer, wear your seat belts, have a valid drivers license and for drug mules, use the trunk.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a negligent driver, contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Tennessee Teen Driver

Last month the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and State Farm Insurance Companies shows that the impact of teen driver crashes extends far beyond teen drivers’ families and friends. In 2008, more than half a million (681,000) people were involved in crashes where a teen driver was behind the wheel. More than 40,000 were injured, and nearly 30 percent of those who died in these crashes were not in cars driven by teens.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer I have seen far too many teen deaths and I strongly encourage parents to be realistic about the skills and propensities of their children. It’s a time of excitement and dread for every parent, the time when their precious little Bobby or Betty reaches the age when they can drive. Excitement because their child is growing up and the parents can relinquish to job of being the chauffeur for their busy teens and dread because the know in their heart of hearts the dangers that teen drivers face as they take to the highways and byways.

In addition to laws, safety experts agree that parents play a key role in helping teens become good drivers. Parents should not rely solely on drivers education classes to teach good driving habits and should restrict night driving, restrict the numbers of passengers riding with their teen, supervise practice driving, always require use of seat belts and choose vehicles for safety, not image. Parents can also set a good example by practicing safe driving techniques themselves.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Can Technology Prevent Drunken Driving?

It’s not surprising that the American Beverage Association oppose the deployment of a cool new technology, they represent the booze industry. Researchers funded by auto manufacturers and federal safety regulators are working on sensory devices to be installed as standard equipment on all new vehicles that would keep a vehicle from starting if the driver has had too much to drink.

Alcohol was a factor in 10,839 highway deaths in 2009. In the past two decades, it accounted for 268,442 deaths. And 10 percent of people in the United States recently admitted to being drunk behind the wheel in the past year, a poll found.

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. In Tennessee in 2008, 327 people were killed in crashes where the driver or motorcyclist had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. That is down from 377 people killed in 2007 with a BAC of .08 or higher. Over the 2008 Labor Day holiday, 12 people were killed in 10 fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways, down from 17 people killed on Tennessee roadways in 2007.

The article I read about this device says it 5 years from being available on new model cars. The beverage association says it makes drivers guilty without trial, an argument that I find rather specious. Like always you need to take things with a grain of salt and always follow the money.

For this and other Tennessee automobile safety tips visit the web site of the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find lot’s of good information to help you remain a safe driver.

Roadway Departure Crash Takes Man's Life

Talk about a rough way to end the year for two Maryland men. Man One is sitting at home minding your own business, growing 20 or so large pots of marijuana when Driver Two, a 20-year-old driver, loses control of his vehicle, leaves the road and slams into his house and catches fire.

Firefighters found the pot, the police got a search warrant and busted Man One. Man Two died in the crash. Unfortunately, the local media didn’t mention the cause of the roadway departure crash. Usually these types of crashes are caused by drivers going in excess of the posted speed limit. Other causes include, distractions, medical emergencies or drugs or alcohol.

Distraction from the primary task of driving could present a serious and potentially deadly danger. In 2008, 5,870 people lost their lives and an estimated 515,000 people were injured in police-reported crashes in which at least one form of driver distraction was reported on the crash report. While these numbers are signi!cant, they may not state the true size of the problem, since the identification of distraction and its role in the crash by law enforcement can be very difficult.

Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event.  Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness.

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