Avoid Road Rage

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines aggressive driving as, “when individuals commit a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property.” Some other communities define aggressive driving as “the operation of a motor vehicle involving three or more moving violations as part of a single continuous sequence of driving acts, which is likely to endanger any person or property.

Road rage differs from aggressive driving. It is a criminal offense and is “an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger(s) of one motor vehicle on the operator or passenger(s) of another motor vehicle or is caused by an incident that occurred on a roadway.”

There is no question in my mind that an incident that occurred in downtown Nashville the other night would definitely come under the definition of road rage. According to local media reports the situation started when the driver and passengers of one car started bad-mouthing the driver and passengers of another. Someone in one car made a derogatory comment about the other man’s car.

Nashville police investigators told reporters that two men got out of their vehicles and starting fighting. During the fight, 42-year-old man from Camden, Tennessee was stabbed in the abdomen. The other man, age 27, from Mt. Juliet, Tennessee is now in jail. He’s being held in lieu of a $75,000 dollar bond. The stabbing victim is in stable condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

I would encourage each driver who ventures out onto the highways and byways of Tennessee to arm themselves with the telephone number of the appropriate law enforcement agency, either 911 or *847 for State Troopers and when you witness a road rage incident or an aggressive driving incident, pull over to a safe place and call in the license number, description of the vehicle and any other specifics that you observed. Save a life and tell all of your friends and families to step up and help reduce traffic fatalities in Tennessee.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000.

Photo Courtesy of AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety

Avoid Road Rage

Road rage isn’t something we usually find police officers involved in but an interesting story out of Knoxville seems to show that no one is immune if they don’t keep their emotions under control while driving. According the local media reports two off duty Oak Ridge police officers were pulling out of a local Waffle House and failed to yield to oncoming traffic. When the driver of the other car failed to allow them to cut him off the officers flipped him the bird, he flipped back.

When the two vehicle stopped at a stopped light the men jumped out of their car and approached the man’s car. He got out of his car and confronted the men when one of the police displayed a .40 cal. Glock handgun.  The man jumped back into his car and fled the scene, followed the car, took down it’s tag number and called 911. A witness also called 911 and described the men and their car.

Investigating officers stopped the men but no charges have been filed. The victim told local media that he intends to prosecute the off-duty police officers. The City of Oak Ridge needs to take action or lose the confidence of the people they are to protect and serve.

Many road rage incidents have resulted from drivers overreacting and allowing their egos to stand in the way of common sense and good judgment rather than safely reporting aggressive driving incidents. A simple display of common courtesy will often be appreciated and may even become contagious. Try it! It might work for you.

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

Road Rage Is A Crime

In an extreme case of road rage a Columbia, Tennessee man, enraged by his girlfriend’s rejection crashed his vehicle into a convenience store in an attempt to run down his girlfriend, nearly killing the shop’s owner.

The woman was running for her life when she entered the store for protection but she didn’t anticipate that he would drive his truck through the store’s glass front, crushing owner Surendra Patel into rows of toppled convenience store shelves.

Fortunately, Mr. Patel walked away from the incident, as did the rager, who ran out of the store and hijacked a witnesses SUV and tried to flee the scene. As he tried to flee the scene he slammed into a bread truck.

After he was released from the hospital this man was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, theft and reckless endangerment, with bail set at $2 million.

Unlike aggressive driving, that involves a traffic offense or combination of offenses such as following too closely, speeding, unsafe lane changes, failing to signal intent to change lanes, and other forms of negligent or inconsiderate driving, road rage is a criminal offense.

For example, a person may become so angry over some incident that he or she overreacts and retaliates with some type of violence. These violent acts may range from a physical confrontation to an assault with a motor vehicle or possibly a weapon.

I would encourage each driver who ventures out onto the highways and byways of Tennessee to arm themselves with the telephone number of the appropriate law enforcement agency, either 911 or *847 for State Troopers and when you witness a road rage incident or an aggressive driving incident, pull over to a safe place and call in the license number, description of the vehicle and any other specifics that you observed. Save a life and tell all of your friends and families to step up and help reduce traffic fatalities in Tennessee.

If you or a loved one are injured or killed by a Tennessee road-rager contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to determine your rights and remedies.

Practice Christmas Season Driving Safety

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I approach the Christmas holiday season with mixed emotions. It’s a time for family and friends, a time of hope and joy, the ending of another year, and on the other hand it’s the high season for drunk drivers. This morning I thought I might make a list of drunk driving facts to show you how this problem manifests itself.

* Most drunk drivers are males but statistics show that the number of women driving under the influence is definitely on the rise. Between 2004 and 2008 in Tennessee, impaired women drivers involved in fatal crashes increased by 4.7 percent.

* The group most likely to be involved in an alcohol related fatal crash will be men and women in the 21-24-year-old range. During the 2006 holiday season, alcohol was a factor in almost 37 percent of the fatal crashes with drivers this age. Compare that to drivers 44-54, where 20 percent of the fatal accidents involved alcohol

* While drivers 21-24 constituted 11 percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2007, they made up 18 percent of all alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes.

* In 2008, about one-third of all fatal crashes involved alcohol-impaired drivers.

* Nationwide in 2008 there were 37,261 total highway fatalities with 11,773 of them involved alcohol-impaired drivers.

* In Tennessee there were 1035 fatalities during this same period with 327 involving alcohol-impaired drivers

December is National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, with assistance from other agencies, will staff more than 100 sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints through New Year’s Day. Don’t be a statistic, if you drive, don’t drink and if you drink don’t drive. If you see a or suspect a driver of being under the influence take action and call the police, you may save a life. In an urban are dial 911 and in a rural area dial *847 for the State Troopers.

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. Call 615-356-2000.

Photo courtesy of the AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety

Practice Winter Weather Safety

About this time every year I try to focus my blog on specific things a Tennessee driver can do to stay safe during the holiday season. I think that you might want to focus on three things: 1. Road Safety 2. Parking Lot Safety and 3. Weather conditions.

Road Safety- The Winter holidays are very busy times for the average American. It gets darker sooner in the day, holiday shopping makes everyone a bit on edge and many drivers become downright aggressive, and holiday parties can lead to drunk drivers.

Aggressive Driving

In Tennessee and throughout the country, the public’s concern over aggressive driving continues to grow. Some studies indicate the public is actually more fearful of aggressive drivers than it is of impaired drivers. Aggressive driving is truly dangerous and cannot be tolerated. Several states are considering legislation to deal specifically with the aggressive driving issue.

Traditionally, the traffic safety community has defined and attempted to measure aggressive driving in a variety of ways. Some studies of aggressive driving have focused on specific driving behaviors, such as speeding, tailgating, or violating traffic control devices, which are commonly thought of as behaviors typically associated with aggressive driving.

Drunk Driving

Alcohol played a factor in a significant number of crashes during last year’s holiday season. Forty-two percent of the fatalities that occurred during last year’s Christmas holiday were alcohol related. The number of alcohol-related crashes grew to 57 percent during the New Year’s holiday.

December is National Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Month and the Tennessee Highway Patrol, with assistance from other agencies, will staff more than 100 sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints through New Year’s Day. Don’t be a statistic, if you drive, don’t drink and if you drink don’t drive. If you see or suspect a driver of being under the influence, or driving in a dangerous aggressive manner, take action and call the police, you may save a life. In an urban are dial 911 and in a rural area dial *847 for the State Troopers.

Parking Lot and Shopping Safety

The number one rule when you are in big box store parking lots is to keep your eyes open for trouble. Do not get out of your vehicle unless you have carefully studied the area for people who don’t belong there.

Don’t shop at night if avoidable, and always shop with friends or family. A single person is always a target. Always trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Report suspicious activity to mall security or call the police. Be careful in parking lots. Some people are in such a rush that they back out of a parking spot without paying attention to other cars or pedestrians.

Weather –

Be aware of hazardous conditions. There are several driving events that require intense concentration on the part of the driver. A driver must always be on the defensive, thinking about what other drivers might do AND be prepared to respond with proper reactions. In addition, certain conditions, especially bad weather, trigger the need for special knowledge and skills.

Wet pavement can be as treacherous as snow and ice. To drive under these conditions:

Slow Down. The pavement is particularly treacherous when it first begins to rain. Dirt and oil accumulations make a greasy film on the roadway, and it takes several minutes for it to wash away.

Avoid Hydroplaning. A lot of water standing on the road during a heavy rain causes tires to lose all contact with the road, even if driving under 50 m.p.h. If the vehicle starts to hydroplane, slow down by letting up on the gas. Never suddenly apply the brakes.

Improve Your Vision: (a) keep windshield wipers in good condition, (b) wait a few minutes after the rain starts so the rain/wipers can remove dust and grime, (c) use the defroster/air conditioner to keep windows/mirrors clear.

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. Call 615-356-2000.

Photo Courtesy of the AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety

Red Light Means Stop

Stupid is as stupid does. My life experience tells me that there are some people, far too many, who are simply unable to see their own roll in their problems. These people blame everything on others and refuse to take responsibility for their own stupid actions.

Take, for instance, a recent intersection crash in Knoxville, Tennessee, in which a 23-year-old man who ran a stop sign and slammed into another vehicle, gets out of his wrecked car and tries to start a fight with the innocent victim.

To compound his stupidity, the guy then tries to fight with police officers responding to the crash. Instead of a ticket for running a red light this bozo ends up being charged with reckless driving, resisting arrest, aggravated assault, and disorderly conduct.

Aggressive driving is a major concern of the American public, ranking at or near the top of traffic safety issues in national surveys of motorists. In Tennessee and throughout the country, the public’s concern over aggressive driving continues to grow. Some studies indicate the public is actually more fearful of aggressive drivers than it is of impaired drivers. Aggressive driving is truly dangerous and cannot be tolerated.

Many people misunderstand the difference between aggressive driving and what has become known as “Road Rage”. Most experienced Tennessee Car accident lawyers think of  aggressive driving as certain driving behaviors, such as speeding, tailgating, or violating traffic control devices,

Road rage, like we have here, is a criminal offense. This occurs when a traffic incident escalates into a far more serious situation. For example, a person may become so angry over an aggressive driving incident that he or she overreacts and retaliates with some type of violence. These violent acts may range from a physical confrontation to an assault with a motor vehicle or possibly a weapon. Often, the roadway incident that caused the person to become enraged may have been something quite simple and even trivial.

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

Nashville is centrally located in the United States, in fact 66% of the population of the country is located within 500 miles of Nashville. That fact is good for business but it creates problems on the interstate highways that dissect our fair city.

I was on my way to a seminar this Saturday morning, heading south on I-65 toward Brentwood, Tennessee, and I was stunned by the unregulated speeding, aggressive driving, texting, as well as other sorts of highway mayhem that I experienced. When I say unregulated I mean that during the whole adventure I did not see one Nashville police car.

I got to thinking about different types of drivers, those drivers you love to hate. The first on my list is the driver with a rocket in their pocket. You know the ones I’m talking about, they come roaring up behind you, changing lanes, cutting people off to get twenty feet further along. They get right on your bumper until you change lanes and get out of their way. Many times they are talking on their cell phone or prognosticating to a passenger, totally oblivious to the others around them.

Number two on the list, the driver who speeds up, slows down and veers back and forth in, and out, of their lane. When you overtake them they are deep into a text message conversation with another bozo. Once they end the conversation they turn into the last driver I wrote about.

I could go on and on, The more often you drive, the more differing personalities you encounter, and the bottom line is that speeders and distracted drivers are the number one offenders. Speed and distraction is a deadly mix and the lesson for each and every Nashville driver is that we have to always be on the lookout for the other drivers. Never retaliate, never react and challenge the other driver. If they are way over the top, pull over, call 911 in town’s and *847 in rural areas. Drop a dime and save a life.

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

Interstate Drivers

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.

Road Rage Is A Crime

A Centerville, Tennessee man who allegedly waved a firearm at another man during a fit of road rage was arrested this past Thursday in Bristol Virginia. The victim of the rage was hurrying to the scene of an accident involving his wife when he came across the angry man.

As the victim exited to the scene of the accident so did the rager. When the victim stopped he pointed out the rager to police who, after a short chase, arrested him and found the handgun and charged him with brandishing a firearm.

Road rage is a criminal offense. This occurs when a traffic incident escalates into a far more serious situation. For example, a person may become so angry over an aggressive driving incident that he or she overreacts and retaliates with some type of violence. These violent acts may range from a physical confrontation to an assault with a motor vehicle or possibly, as is the case here, a weapon.

Often, the roadway incident that caused the person to become enraged may have been something quite simple and even trivial. Some incidents, by their very nature, are intentional acts, such as when a motorist switches from lane to lane in an effort to go around other vehicles. But others may have been committed unintentionally, such as when a motorist makes an abrupt exit from a roadway without properly signaling his or her intent. Perhaps you have seen this maneuver or even done it yourself when you suddenly realized you were at your exit.

If you or loved one has been injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident caused by an aggressive driver or a road rager, the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates have the experience and knowledge needed to successfully handle your Tennessee auto accident case. Contact us immediately after an auto accident and we will discuss the situation with you, free of charge, and come up with a plan of action to help you get compensation for your loss. Call 615-356-2000.

Road Rage Is A Crime

According to local media and police reports, a road rage incident ended when the road rager lost control of his vehicle on I-24 and rolled his pickup truck. Police believe that two people riding in the truck perceived that another driver in a sports car cut them off in Murfreesboro, so they allegedly chased the other vehicle on the interstate for a number of mile to Clarksville where the accident occurred. Police arrested the driver and the passenger after suspecting that they had been drinking.

Road rage, unlike aggressive driving, is a criminal offense. This occurs when a traffic incident escalates into a far more serious situation. For example, a person may become so angry over an aggressive driving incident that he or she overreacts and retaliates with some type of violence. These violent acts may range from a physical confrontation to an assault with a motor vehicle or possibly a weapon.

Often, the roadway incident that caused the person to become enraged may have been something quite simple and even trivial. Some incidents, by their very nature, are intentional acts, such as when a motorist switches from lane to lane in an effort to go around other vehicles. But others may have been committed unintentionally, such as when a motorist makes an abrupt exit from a roadway without properly signaling his or her intent. Perhaps you have seen this maneuver or even done it yourself when you suddenly realized you were at your exit.

Many road rage incidents have resulted from drivers overreacting and allowing their egos to stand in the way of common sense and good judgment rather than safely reporting aggressive driving incidents. A simple display of common courtesy will often be appreciated and may even become contagious. Try it! It might work for you.

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

Report Agressive Driving

As an experienced Tennessee car accident lawyer, I regularly witness the role of aggressive drivers in many Tennessee car accidents. Statistics suggest that as many as one third of traffic crashes resulting in death can be attributed to aggressive driving and two-thirds of resulting deaths can be attributed to aggressive driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)  defines aggressive driving as “the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner which endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.” Some of the most common actions considered aggressive include:

* Speeding

* Red light running

* Failure to yield

* Following too closely

* Unsafe lane changes

* Failure to obey traffic control devices

* Failure to use proper signals

* Improper passing

Reference a recent incident of dangerous aggressive driving that caused two automobile accidents before the aggressive driver lost control and crashed his own car. According to local media accounts the 32-year-old Franklin, Tennessee man was passing cars on Highway 96 East at speeds over 100 miles-per-hour before he lost control and crashed.

The man fled the scene and was later arrested in a neighborhood after being spotted by residents. Fortunately, neither the aggressive driver, nor the two other wrecked drivers suffered serious life threatening injuries.

Many states around the nation have specific statutes prohibiting aggressive driving. In Tennessee aggressive driving is addressed in the statutes as Reckless Driving. TN Code section 55-10-205)55-10-205, describes reckless driving as; “Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property commits reckless driving.” Sound like the shoe fits this guy? You bet it does.

I would encourage each driver who ventures out onto the highways and byways of Tennessee to arm themselves with the telephone number of the appropriate law enforcement agency, either 911 or *847 for Tennessee State Troopers and when you witness an aggressive driver, or a drag racer, pull over to a safe place and call in the license number, description of the vehicle and any other specifics that you observed. Save a life and tell all of your friends and families to step up and help reduce traffic fatalities in Tennessee.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000.