Highway Fatalities Down in @011

When even one person dies on the highway there is nothing to cheer about but some good news came when statistics showed that fewer people died on Kentucky highways this year than through the same time period in 2010. In this game the best we can hope for is progress not perfection.

As of this past Wednesday, the Kentucky State Police recorded 701 fatalities in 2011, compared to 750 through the same date in 2010. Kentucky tallied 771 in 2009, 797 in 2008 and 845 in 2007.

According the KSP spokesman, the driving public seems to be paying attention to things like distracted driving. When driving attitudes and behavior on the road change so do the outcomes. Distracted driving, drunk driving and cell phone use, are the big three when it comes to causes of fatal accident.

The staff and attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates wish the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky a happy, prosperous and a safe driving New Year. If you of a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident contact the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free case review. Call 615-356-2000.

Booze It And Lose It

The bad news is that 440 people have been killed on Tennessee highways in the first six months of 2011. The good news is that the number of people killed in Tennessee accidents is down 15 percent in the first six months of 2011 compared to last year. That number is down 77 over last year.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol says there has been a drop in deadly crashes on the roads because more drunk drivers have been arrested. At the same time the number of DUI arrests has increased by more than 30 percent. More than 2,100 DUI arrests have been made since January.

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.

Add speeding to the mix and the outcome is usually not a pretty sight. Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. Speeding was a contributing factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes, and 13,040 lives were lost in speeding-related crashes

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville automobile accident by a drunk driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation so that you can get a complete picture of your rights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000.

Tennessee: Dangerous Roads and Drivers

The Centers for Disease Control, a federal agency aimed at addressing public health concerns, released a report Wednesday revealing tragically high figures with respect to nationwide car accident injuries and fatalities. Despite a commitment to improvement on state roadways, California tops the list as being the largest contributor to nationwide vehicle fatality and injury statistics.

For starters, vehicle crashes cost the U.S. $41 billion annually in medical and work loss costs. Out of all fifty states, ten states account for half of this figure. In other words, 20% of U.S. states account for 50% of the loss. Of these top losers, California is accompanied by Florida, Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New York, Illinois, Ohio and Tennessee.

California reportedly lost or expended $4.6 billion dollars in 2005 for medical injuries, fatalities and lost work time due to traffic accidents. The CDC reiterates that nearly all traffic fatalities are preventable and urges all Americans to adamantly insist upon seat-belt use for them and their families 100% of the time. Up-to-date child safety seats and nationwide motorcycle helmet use could also reduce the injurious impact of vehicle accidents as well.

The United Nations has actually dubbed 2011-2020 the Decade of Action for Road Safety. The CDC’s report is in cooperation with the global initiative to dramatically lessen fatalities and injuries and keep costs down at the same time. The CDC strongly encourages states the maintain or enact graduated driver licensing laws to ease teens into the responsibilities and duties of becoming a driver.

Many states still allow teens on the roadway will full drivers’ licenses after just weeks with a learner’s permit. The CDC urges that granting driving privileges in stages as opposed to all at once gives teens just the right amount of responsibility congruent with a lowered amount of risk as many graduated licensing programs do not permit driving after dark or after certain nighttime hours.

“We think any added safety measures or precautions that will prevent traffic fatalities and roadway injuries are great and should be implemented in California” stated attorney Emery Brett Ledger of Ledger Law and Associates. Ledger Law is an Orange County personal injury firm dedicated to advocating for accident victims and their families.

4,478 Californians lost their lives in 2005 from fatal car accidents. This staggering number is the direct result of increased driver distraction and the influx of handheld devices controlling drivers’ every thought and turning their eyes and attention away from the roadways. Ledger Law urges drivers to never utilize a cell phone while driving. No text message or phone call is worth your life.

If you or anyone you know has been injured or killed in a Tennessee car accident, please contact Nashville injury attorney Phillip Miller and the Tennessee personal injury attorneys at Phillip Miller and Associates at (615) 356-2000, or contact our office online here.

One last thing: If you are hurt and have any questions at all, contact our office at (615) 356-2000. Don’t delay. Cases involving personal injury or death in Tennessee must be acted on quickly. Time is running. Call for an appointment, if it’s bad enough that you need to read this far into a website blog, it’s bad enough to get an attorney involved.

Cell Phone Distraction

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.

This past week a Clarksville Tennessee woman is driving along Providence Blvd. when she answered a call on her cell phone. Distracted for only a few seconds, she crossed the centerline into oncoming traffic and hit another car head-on. All three of the adults were treated for non-life-threatening injuries but unfortunately, the child remains hospitalized in critical condition.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney we know that these crashes are referred to as “Roadway Departure Crashes” (RDCs). The Federal Highway Administration defines a RDC as a non-intersection crash that occurs when a vehicle crosses an edge line or a centerline, or otherwise leaves the traveled way.

According to the Federal Highway Administration roadway departure crashes are frequently severe and account for the majority of highway fatalities.

The lesson here for Nashville drivers is that you must keep all of your attention on the acting of driving and avoid distractions. You never know when another driver is going to fall asleep, have a medical emergency or get distracted and leave their lane and initiate a deadly collision.

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.

Reduce Highway Fatalities

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I try to keep my readers up-to-date on news about highway safety issues. Today I’d like to share some new information about a drop in highway fatalities.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the number and rate of traffic fatalities in 2010 fell to the lowest levels since 1949, despite a significant increase in the number of miles Americans drove during the year.

“Last year’s drop in traffic fatalities is welcome news and it proves that we can make a difference,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Still, too many of our friends and neighbors are killed in preventable roadway tragedies every day. We will continue doing everything possible to make cars safer, increase seat belt use, put a stop to drunk driving and distracted driving and encourage drivers to put safety first.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) early projections, the number of traffic fatalities fell three percent between 2009 and 2010, from 33,808 to 32,788. Since 2005, fatalities have dropped 25 percent, from a total of 43,510 fatalities in 2005. The same estimates also project that the fatality rate will be the lowest recorded since 1949, with 1.09 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, down from the 1.13 fatality rate for 2009. The decrease in fatalities for 2010 occurred despite an estimated increase of nearly 21 billion miles in national vehicle miles traveled.

A regional breakdown showed the greatest drop in fatalities occurred in the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, where they dropped by 12 percent. Arizona, California and Hawaii had the next steepest decline, nearly 11 percent.

“The decrease in traffic fatalities is a good sign, but we are always working to save lives,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “NHTSA will continue pressing forward on all of our safety initiatives to make sure our roads are as safe as they can possibly be.”

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has taken a comprehensive approach to reducing roadway fatalities by promoting strong traffic safety laws coupled with high-visibility enforcement and through rigorous vehicle safety programs and public awareness campaigns.

Every person who drives the highways of Tennessee needs to take special care to help reduce fatalities. Simple things, such as obeying the speed limit, avoiding distractions, reporting drivers who create dangerous situations on the road and teach your younger drivers to do the same.

If you or a family member need the services of an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer you ought to check out the lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates. Take advantage of a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

In my Tennessee automobile accident blog on December 7, 2009, I was happy to report that fatality rates from drunk driving accidents have fallen in 40 states, which is a sign that educational, enforcement and road improvement actions are having the desired result. Several states saw declines of over 20%. The good news for us is that the efforts of the Bredesen Administration, under stewardship of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely have paid of. In Tennessee the fatality rates from drunk driving accidents are down 11.3% over last year.

Today I have some more good news. The Birmingham News reports that Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced that Alabama officials are anticipating a 35 percent decrease in the number a state-trooper investigated highway deaths during the period 2006 to 2009.  This would mean a reduction in over 300 traffic deaths.

Reduced Highway Fatalities

The program began by state officials identifying areas with large numbers of fatalities and then adding stepped up enforcement, education and road improvements.

As a Nashville automobile accident attorney these are the kinds of numbers that reinforce what my colleagues and I have been saying for years. Federal, state and local governments must step up and get this epidemic of highway fatalities under control.

If you are the victim of a Nashville or Tennessee automobile accident we urge you to contact our car accident attorneys today for a free consultation. When you hire an auto accident attorney from Phillip Miller & Associates, you’re getting a qualified and dedicated lawyer. Details about our attorneys and staff can be found by viewing our website at www.seriousinjury.com where you can get to know the men and women who will be looking out for your best interest.