Who was at Fault?

For an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer a report of a fatal two-car collision  in a local Memphis media source left all sorts of questions. According to the report, a Memphis police car was involved in a crash with a Mitsubishi. One occupant was killed when the Mitsubishi made a left turn into the path of the police car.

Let me make it clear here, I don’t represent the deceased or any other occupant of the Mitsubishi, but if I did, I’d surely like to find out several important facts. Was the police car answering a call and how fast was it traveling when the collision took place. If so, was the police car traveling the speed limit and did it have its emergency lights engaged.

If I was representing the police officers I’d focus on determining what the driver of the other vehicle was doing that might have distracted him from seeing my vehicle. Distractions are the cause of a majority of the collisions that happen today. Cell phones are the leading distracter, followed by eating, applying makeup and simply talking to passenger and not paying attention.

My sincere wish is that reporters educated themselves so that they might ask the right questions so that other Tennessee drivers might read about these accidents and learn something from them. If you are involved in a Tennessee automobile accident, contact the experienced and certified civil trial lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and learn where you stand. Call 615-356-2000.

A Seat Belt Would Have Mattered

When we talk about distractions leading to Tennessee fatal automobile accidents we are talking about a serious issue in these days of cell phone’s, GPS and other navigation devices. The distraction can take only seconds and lives change forever. Take for example a recent crash in Thorn Hill, Tennessee. A Grainger County man was killed in a single-vehicle rollover crash Saturday night on state Highway 131 near Delmer Welch Road at approximately 7:35 p.m. when he lost control of his 2004 Dodge SRS.

According to local media reports his right front tire dropped off the roadway, he driver overcorrected, lost control, crossed both lanes and went airborne over an embankment. His car struck several trees and came to rest on its roof in a small creek.

The report quoted the investigating Trooper Toby Cameron as saying that the deceased was not wearing his seat belt, and he thought it would have made a difference. The man possibly lost his life because of two errors, he failed to take a second to buckle up and he took his attention off the road for a second. Our prayers go out to the family and friends of this unfortunate man.

The personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates plead with your to take a minute and buckle up before you head out onto the highways and byways of Tennessee, and above all avoid distractions. Call 615-356-2000 to find out all you need to know if you are injured in a Nashville auto accident.

Red Light Cameras Work

Recent studies have once again demonstrated the deterrent value of using automated enforcement cameras to reduce red light running. A new review of traffic data from the City of Philadelphia conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, has shown that the introduction of red light cameras after lengthening the yellow-light phase has virtually eliminated red light running violations at two problem intersections.

Researchers tracked signal violation rates at intersections before and after extending the yellow light sequence and again after red light camera enforcement had been in effect for about a year. The first step reduced signal violations by 36 percent. The cameras reduced the remaining violations by 96 percent . At the same time, violations were virtually unchanged at two control group intersections.

Another red light running study was conducted by researchers from Old Dominion University in Virginia. A team of researchers reviewing data collected both before, during and after the City of Virginia Beach’s six-month deployment of red light technology before Virginia’s red light camera authorizing law was allowed the sunset. The results showed that red light running violations more than tripled in just the first year after the law expired. Red light running at the several intersections that had previously been equipped with red light cameras is now worse than it was before they were installed.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile intersection accident caused by a red light runner you owe it to yourself to 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. Call us at 615-356-2000.

Distracted Tennessee Driver

Whenever you see an accident, usually involving one car that crosses the centerline and crashes into another, an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer starts thinking about driver distractions. Just what was the driver doing moments before the crash that caused his/her vehicle to go off the highway? What caused the driver to change focus from driving to other things?

This is the question several families in Fentress County, Tennessee will be asking themselves following a 2-vehicle crash. A 26-year-old Jamestown woman crossed the centerline and crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle driven by a 40-year-old woman, also of Jamestown. The 26-year-old was dead at the scene and the other woman was injured.

What was she doing that took her eyes and her mind off of the task of driving? It only takes a second for the distraction to lead to calamity. 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 significant, 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.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville automobile accident caused by a distracted driver you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

From The Highway To The River

The good news is that the vehicle driven by a 23-year-old man, that included his 21-year-old woman passenger, missed a concrete barrier after they ran off US Highway 72, near Scottsboro, TN. The bad news is that the vehicle also missed two separate guardrails that would have prevented the vehicle from flipping several times before ending up in the Tennessee River. Fortunately, both people were able to get out of the vehicle and make their way to the shore, underneath a bridge to await rescue.

Police investigators will try to piece the minute-by-minute scenario of what the driver was doing in the time prior to leaving the highway.

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

Red Means Stop

Preventing injuries and deaths at intersections should be a high priority for towns and cities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that last year alone, nearly 10,000 people died and approximately one million people were injured in intersection-related crashes that account for approximately 40-45 percent of all crashes.

Police investigators in Columbia, Tennessee will have to determine what a driver was doing in the seconds just prior to him running a red light and crashing into three other vehicles. Statistics show that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve 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.

In Tennessee, the Rules of the Road suggest that when you approach an intersection you should use a technique called “Traffic Checks”. “Traffic checks” is the process of looking frequently and carefully for vehicle traffic approaching from each direction. “Traffic checks” is especially important when merging or changing lanes AND when approaching and crossing intersections.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed by a negligent driver in a Nashville intersection accident contact the experienced Nashville personal injury accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates by calling 615=356-2000.

Keep A Watch Out For The Other Guy

So often we learn that no matter how careful you drive, even if you follow all of the rules of the road, some other guy might not and that you are always in jeopardy when you are on the road. In order to avoid collisions we have to follow the rules and drive defensively (watch out for the other guy), and avoid any and all distractions.

A three-year-old boy is hospitalized at LeBonheur’s Childrens Hospital in Memphis with traumatic head injuries following an accident in which the SUV in which the child was riding, being driven by his mother, including his 16-month-old sister was rear-ended by a man driving a crew cab pickup truck. According to local media reports the man said he didn’t see the turn signal on the SUV.

Investigators will have to determine just what the pickup driver was doing that caused him to be distracted and take his eyes of the vehicle in front of him. As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney the main question is what was the driver doing in the two seconds before his vehicle slammed into the SUV? Statistics show that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve 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 and experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer contact the lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Give Big Trucks Lots of Room

Two Manchester, Tennessee, tractor-trailer drivers, a man aged 59 and a woman aged 57, died in a three-vehicle accident on Wednesday on I-65 in Jasper County, Indiana. According to local media sources, traffic had slowed for a work zone and had narrowed to one lane. For some unknown reason the male driver failed to observed the slowed traffic and slammed into the rear of the Tractor-trailer in front of him and that one slammed into the tractor-trailer in front of him.

The deceased driver had on his seat belt but was crushed and the passenger did not have her seat belt on and was ejected from the vehicle. Investigators will have their hands full trying to figure out what caused the driver to fail to maintain control. Did he fall asleep? Was he distracted by something else, a cell phone, CB radio, eating or  talking to his passenger and not paying attention to the traffic.

Construction zones can present a driver with a challenge. The zones are usually well marked in advance and require vehicles to start reducing speed in preparation for the upcoming area on the road where the construction equipment and workers are located.

This weekend I drove from Nashville to St. Louis for some business and was amazed at how many drivers ignore the signs warning drivers to slow down for a construction zone and instead of following the slow-down suggestions use the opportunity to speed up and get ahead of the people in front of them. This dangerous behavior in turn brings out bad behavior in others who don’t want the cheaters to get ahead of them. Some of those people who are slowing down and forming one lane as directed begin to attempt to block and retaliate against the speeders by refusing to allow them to merge.

The other danger I noticed was the tailgating by some on those who reduce their speed as directed. When you reduce your speed from 70 mph to 55 mph you should, according to the Tennessee Rules Of The Road, keep one car length for every ten miles per hour you are traveling, not so in these Interstate construction zones. What happens is that the danger of a rear-end collision is magnified. Driver one is worried about the driver 2 right on his tail and is paying more attention to the tailgater then he is to the driver in front of him.

The Tennessee Department of Safety suggests the following:

* Slow down! Drive within the posted speed limits, which are usually reduced in work zones. If you don’t, you’ll pay the price.

* Don’t tailgate! Most work zone accidents are caused by rear-end collisions.

* Eliminate distractions! Put down the cell phone; leave the radio dial alone. This is not the time to look for a new CD!

* Keep your ears open! Do not wear earphones while driving.

* Merge early! You can be ticketed and the cause of an accident for being a last chance merger.

* Watch for flaggers! Follow their signals, and don’t change lanes within the work zone unless instructed to do so.

* Expect the unexpected! Work zones change constantly.

* Turn your lights on before you enter the zone! Turn on your vehicle’s headlights to become more visible to workers and other motorists.

* Stay calm! Remember the work zone crew members are working to improve your future ride.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee construction zone accident it’s important that you secure the services of an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney like those that you will find at Phillip Miller & Associates. Time is of the essence in these cases so contact us immediately at 615-356-2000

Failure to Yield

We will probably never know what so distracted a 20-year-old Bristol, Tennessee man that he was oblivious of an oncoming pickup truck. According to the THP Traffic Incident Report, the man pilled out to turn directly into the path of the truck. He died at the scene and the two people in the truck were injured.

Think about this scenario, there was no obstruction that prevented the young man from seeing the truck, yet he was somewhere else than where he should have been. Was he on the cell phone? Cell records will tell whether he was on the phone at, or near, the time of the wreck.

Other distracting activities are numerous, was he eating, simply thinking about something that interfered with his focus. Since the man died at the scene we will probably never know. The lesson here for Tennessee drivers is that motor vehicles are deadly weapons and if you are going to drive pay attention to what you are doing. Don’t text and drive, don’t talk and drive, don’t eat and drive and keep your head in the game.

If you or a loved one are seriously injured or killed in a Nashville automobile accident caused by a distracted driver, do yourself a favor and call the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a no cost case review. Call 615-356-2000.

Wrecked Tennessee State Trooper Car

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I can state, with some authority, that it is not smart to run a stop sign and it is downright unlucky when you do run one to slam into a Tennessee State Trooper.

This sign is the only eight-sided sign on the highway. It always means that there is danger. It will always be red with white lettering. It tells you that you are approaching an important street or highway and that you must bring your car to a complete stop, not going beyond the crosswalk. IF you cannot see, then proceed cautiously to a point where you can see, and then go only if you can do so safely.

Just what it was that distracted the 19-year-old teen driver from Coryton, Tennessee, is not yet known, but she is lucky, very lucky, that she did not pay for her failure to stop with her life. According to local media reports the young woman ran a stop sign and slammed into a Tennessee State Trooper. Luckily he was not seriously injured. She was cited for failure to yield and right of way.

Nationwide, more crashes happen at intersections than at any other place. Intersections constitute a very small part of rural and urban street/highway systems, yet they are implicated in 31.9 percent of all motor vehicle crashes and 15.5 percent of all fatal crashes

When you hire an attorney from Phillip Miller & Associates, you’re getting the whole package.  You don’t just get an extremely qualified and dedicated lawyer, you also get a loyal Tennessee resident who cares about the quality of life in their community and who puts their time and money into standing up for causes and charities they believe in.  You can read about some of the causes we support on our home page, along with a summary of our professional qualifications.  Additional details about our attorneys and staff can be found by viewing our personal profiles, where you can get to know the men and women who will be looking out for your best interest.

Please contact Phillip Miller & Associates today and take your first step forward towards putting the frustration and horror of your auto accident experience behind you.