Tennessee Teen Fatality

The Jackson Tennessee Police Department reported that a 17-year-old driver was killed in a one-car crash this past Saturday. It appears that the young man either lost control of the vehicle or became distracted and crossed the centerline, left the roadway and crashed into a tree. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this young man.

Among experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorneys, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), it is generally agreed that teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile, the crash rate for 16 year-old drivers is 10 times the rate for drivers between 30 and 59. The basic reasons behind this statistic are obvious, teen drivers have no experience with the myriad issues faced by drivers with experience, furthermore, they are immature and often takes risks, most often speeding, and are easily distracted which contribute to the increased death rate.

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.

Texting While Driving

As an experienced Nashville auto accident lawyer I have come to dread one of the downsides of the Spring season. No, it’s not the pollen and the allergies, the April showers that bring May flowers, it’s the rash of fatal automobile accidents that involve teen drivers. Prom weekends begin the season of death.

This year the Tennessee Department of Safety joins the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, National Organizations for Youth Safety, U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Governors Highway Safety Association, and Students Against Destructive Decisions to promote National Youth Traffic Safety Month. To kick off the month, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) encourages students to pledge not to drink and drive or text and drive.

“You can have a good time and do it in a smart way,” said Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “Prom, graduation and the beginning of summer are times to celebrate, but don’t let a good time be the last time; pledge not to drink and drive. Not only is it the law, the consequences can be deadly.”

In 2008, 19 people were killed in Tennessee in 18 fatal crashes involving drivers (age 13-19) who had been drinking. A national survey of 11th and 12th grade students finds 90 percent believe their peers are more likely to drink and drive on prom night, but few think that the behavior carries a high degree of risk. The Department of Safety encourages Tennessee youth to join the campaign and speak up for alcohol and drug free proms.

“Texting or talking on cell phones while driving is dangerous to the driver and all those on the roadway around them,” said THP Colonel Mike Walker. “Teens must understand that texting and talking on the phone while driving is against the law and every time a driver takes his or her eyes or focus off the road, even for just a few seconds, they put their lives and the lives of others in danger.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving kills nearly 6,000 Americans a year.

In Tennessee, TCA 55-50-311 stipulates: “Any driver possessing a learner permit or intermediate driver license is prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on any highway while using a handheld cellular telephone.” The teen driver is subject to a $50 fine and a 90 day delay in eligibility for an intermediate restricted or intermediate unrestricted driver license.  TCA 55-8-19 stipulates that texting while driving and reading a text while driving are against the law for all drivers. The driver is subject to a $50 fine. Since January 3, THP Troopers have issued 51 citations for texting while driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car crashes are the leading cause of fatalities among teens in the United States. Nationally, teen drivers (ages 13-19) are at a four times greater risk for crashes than older adults and are involved in 15 percent of fatal crashes, but make up 6.7 percent of the total driving population.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver you owe it to yourself and your family to consult with an experienced Tennessee car crash lawyer like those you will find at Phillip Miller & Associates. Take advantage of a free consultation to determine your rights and remedies.

Friends and family joined together to remember an 18-year-old Dickson County Tennessee high schooler who was killed in a roadway departure crash over the weekend. As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney it seems to me that this time of year, just prior to high school graduation, that we see more fatal accidents involving teen drivers thqn during any other time of the year.

What caught my attention in the numerous media reports about the crash and the memorial was the notation that this young man was the 13^th student of Creek Wood HS to die in an automobile accident since the school opened in 2002. Putting the math to it, that’s over one and a half teenager per year dying on the highways of Dickson County every year just from this one high school. That seems like a lot to me.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes. Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.

It seems to me that the leadership of Dickson County, including the school Board, ought to consider this terrible toll and maybe add a bit of education about the hazards of driving. It is my understanding that the majority of the fatal accidents involving teens are related to distracted driving, including the use of cell phones, texting and music players. The other main cause is speeding.

How many more teen drivers are going to have to die before the political, educational and law enforcement leaders get on the stick?

If you or a loved one is injured in a Tennessee auto accident caused by a teen driver, you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out where you stand.

Teach Teen Driving Safety

Over the last several Blogs at “The Tennessee Auto Accident Attorney” we have talked about younger drivers and the hazards they face as the travel the highways and byways of Tennessee. As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I regularly speak to parents of teen drivers, and on every occasion I remind them that simply telling their children to act in a safe manner when they are behind the wheel won’t be much help to them, it is the duty of the parents to teach them by example.

I also share some sobering statistics. In Tennessee and across the nation traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities, accounting for 38% of all teen deaths. In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and  more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes. Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.

Most Americans typically learn to drive during the teen years, when the brain is not fully mature yet. Recent research is beginning to give us insight why many teens have difficulty regulating risk-taking behavior:

* The area of the brain that weighs consequences, suppresses impulses and organizes thoughts does not fully mature until about age 25.

* Hormones are more active in teens, which influence the brain’s neuro-chemicals that regulate excitability and mood. The result can be thrill-seeking behavior and experiences that create intense feelings.

Chances are, your community has been struck by a tragic accident involving a teenage friend, classmate or family member. Tennessee parents have an excellent resource available at the website of the National Safety Council. Check out http://teendriver.nsc.org/ for helpful tips and suggested study materials.

My experience investigating and trying Tennessee teen driver accident cases tells me that it is never too early to start training your child for the day he or she gets behind the wheel and you watch them drive off into the real world.

If you or a loved is injured in a Nashville or Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Child Passengers Deserve Protection

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I find it difficult to believe that passengers in a vehicular crash were wearing their seatbelts when they are thrown from the vehicle. A recent crash in Cannon County leaves me wondering what the parent might have been thinking, when, while driving her children and a friend to school, crossed the centerline, over-corrected, lost control and flipped the vehicle, tossing three of the boys from the vehicle.

As a parent it is our duty to protect our children and those in our charge. Protecting them while driving means going the speed limit, avoiding distractions and insuring that they are wearing their seat belts. The mother and the guest passenger are in critical condition.

If you are a parent teach your children by example, and explain the dangers they face when they are on the roads of Tennessee. We teach by example, whether we have them in the car or not we should keep in mind that all adults are responsible for highway traffic safety.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car crash by a negligent driver contact the experienced Tennessee car crash lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Teen Driver Choices

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and  more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes. Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.

Reference a recent Tennessee automobile crash in Dickson County. A Tennessee teen driver of a 1992 Mazda Miata was speeding when it skidded off of a two-lane rural road. It appears that the driver lost control, went into a side way skid, left the roadway and then struck a tree, at which point it exploded or caught on fire. One of the victims was not wearing his seat belt and was thrown from the car and killed. Information about the other was not available at the time of the article. My prayers go out to the families and friends of these two teens who perished in a totally avoidable crash.

Seat belts and child safety seats help prevent injury five different ways, by:

1. Preventing ejection: Ejection greatly increases the chance of death or serious injury.  The chance of being killed in a crash by being ejected from a vehicle is one in eight.  Safety belts virtually eliminate ejection.  The belted driver stays inside the car and is better protected from injury.

2. Shifting crash forces to the strongest parts of the body’s structure.  To get the most benefit from a seat belt, be aware of the following points:

• The lap belt should be worn low over the pelvis with the bottom edge touching the tops of the thighs snugly.

• The shoulder belt should be worn over the shoulder and across the chest, not under the arm and over the abdomen.  Make certain that the shoulder belt is not worn so loosely that it slides off the shoulder.

• Pregnant women should wear the lap belt below the abdomen and the shoulder belt above the belly.

3. Spreading crash forces overa wide area of the body.  Safety belts reduce the possibility of injury from “hostile” surfaces inside the car (steering wheel, dashboard, windshield, controls, etc.).  Even if the belted driver collides with some of these surfaces, it happens with much less force and often results in less serious injury.

4. Keeping the body more closely in the “properdriving posture.” The belt keeps the driver “in the driver’s seat.”  The belted driver is better able to deal with emergencies and often avoids more serious trouble.

5. Protecting the head and spinal cord. The belted driver is less likely to be stunned or made unconscious by the crash and is better able to cope with the situation. Research has found that proper use of lap/shoulder belts reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent (for occupants of light trucks, 60 percent and 65 percent respectively)

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile crash casused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation.

Teen Drivers Need Guidance

Among experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorneys, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), it is generally agreed that teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile, the crash rate for 16 year-old drivers is 10 times the rate for drivers between 30 and 59. The basic reasons behind this statistic are obvious, teen drivers have no experience with the myriad issues faced by drivers with experience, furthermore, they are immature and often takes risks, most often speeding, and are easily distracted which contribute to the increased death rate.

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.

Reference an article on the website of Nashville TV station WKRN reporting a tragic fatal Tennessee automobile accident in Summertown, Tennessee. The driver, a 17-year-old girl turned her vehicle directly into an oncoming car which T-boned the vehicle causing the death of her 13-year-old sister a passenger. The other driver was uninjured.

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.

Child Fatality

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney I regularly speak in public on issues related to highway safety as well as Tennessee automobile accident litigation. One of the main topics I address with lay audiences is teen driving safety. Yesterday I read an article in the Memphis Commercial Appeal reporting on a tragic car/school bus accident which claimed the life of a 9-year-old girl who was a passenger in a car driving by her 17-year-old sister. The article reported that the 17-year-old driver hit a patch of ice, spun out of control and slammed into a school bus. The driver is hospitalized in serious condition but no one on the bus was hurt.

Younger drivers, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), agree that teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile, the crash rate for 16 year-old drivers is 10 times the rate for drivers between 30 and 59. The basic reasons behind this statistic are obvious. Teen drivers have no experience with the myriad issues faced by experienced drivers, furthermore they are immature and often takes risks, most often speeding, which contribute to the increased death rate.

Tennessee 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.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer I have seen far too many Tennessee teen deaths and I strongly encourage parents to be realistic about the skills and propensities of their children. If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville car crash you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Tennessee Car-Tractor-Trailer Fatality

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, when I read about a traffic accident I try, in my mind’s eye, to visualize the crash and the moments leading up to it. Reference an article on the website of WSMV-TV of Nashville which describes a Tennessee car tractor-trailer collision on I-24 near Pleasant View, Tennessee. According to the article a 19-year-old woman rammed right into the rear of a tractor-trailer traveling in the same lane directly in front of her. My sympathies and prayers go out the family and friends of this young lady. I hope they find the answers to the questions they have.

It’s difficult for this Tennessee car crash lawyer to see how this could have happened unless the teen driver was distracted, drowsy or under the influence of alcohol. I don’t have enough information to make a determination as to the cause of this accident, I’m simply relying on the information in the article, but something had to be going on moments before, and at the time of the collision, to cause the young lady to take her eyes and her mind off of her driving and ram the rear end of a tractor-trailer truck.

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.

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

Fatalities from crashes involving young drivers have accounted for one-fifth of all fatalities on the Nation’s roads. This population of young drivers has specific characteristics that set them apart from older drivers as well as a specific set of laws pertaining to their ability to drive. Previous research has shown that young drivers lack the experience behind the wheel that most older drivers have, do not have the same maturity level as older drivers, and are more prone to risk-taking behavior

Even as an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney, it stills shocks me when I read an article like the one on the website of WDXE in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee this morning.

Teen Fatality

A thirteen-year-old child is dead and her 17-year old driver sister is in serious condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

According to the article the deceased, Mary A. Money was a passenger in a vehicle driven by her sister, 17-year-old Lydia Money, when Lydia made a left turn directly into the path of a van driven by 50-year-old Felita Hinson. It appears that the Money vehicle was stopped in a turn lane and for some as of yet undetermined reason pulled out in front of the van.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I keep asking myself what could have been going on that distracted young Ms. Money to the point that she failed to see the oncoming vehicle.

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. The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group, 16 percent of all under-20 drivers in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving.

Younger drivers, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), agree that teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile, the crash rate for 16 year-old drivers is 10 times the rte for drivers between 30 and 59. The basic reasons behind this statistic are obvious. Teen drivers have no experience with the myriad issues faced by drivers with experience, furthermore they are immature and often takes risks, most often speeding, which contribute to the increased death rate.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car crash caused by a distracted driver or a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to determine your rights and remedies.