A frightening Nashville interstate accident might have been caused by the driver falling to sleep at the wheel. According to local media reports a vehicle with a driver and three passengers, one a four-year-old child was driving west on I-40 when the driver lost control on the curve of an interstate overpass.

The car went down the embankment into the southbound lanes of I-65 and slammed into an oncoming pickup truck. Neither the driver, or the passenger of the pickup were seriously injured. The driver of the car and one of the passengers were transported in critical condition.

One of the passengers of the pickup told police the driver might have fallen asleep. 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.

Stay awake and stay alive. 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.

He Ran The Light Doing 70 MPH

A Bartlett Tennessee man wasn’t feeling any pain and he wasn’t using his brain when he got behind the wheel of his motor vehicle back in 2009. He had already had problems with drinking and driving and was well aware that he didn’t have a valid drivers license.

He was driving 70 mph in downtown Memphis at 2 AM when he ran a red light and ran over and killed a 37-year-old Alabama man. While he was out on bond, even after he had killed an man, he was busted for possession of drugs.

Last week he pled guilty to vehicular homicide involving intoxication, driving on a revoked license and to charges of drug possession. His sentencing is coming up soon and it is expected that he is going to catch some serious pen time. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this man and I also hope that the driver will somehow find himself and get out from the slavery of drugs and alcohol.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a drunk driver you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates.

Tennessee police believe that a one vehicle fatal crash yesterday was caused by the driver falling to sleep. It certainly didn’t help his survivability to be asleep without a seatbelt.

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.

It’s nearly impossible to determine with certainty the cause of a fatal crash where drowsy driving is suspected. 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.

Unlike alcohol-related crashes, no blood, breath, or other objective test for sleepiness behind the wheel currently exists that investigators could give to a driver at the scene of a crash. This makes police training in identifying drowsiness as a crash factor very difficult.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a serious Tennessee car accident due to somebody else’s negligence, then you may be feeling angry, frightened, or even alone in your suffering.

There is no reason for you to bear your burden alone.  The experience of a Tennessee auto accident is traumatic enough and your recovery will bring its own challenges.  You don’t need the added stress of worrying about who will pay for the medical care you need, how your car will be repaired, and if the individuals responsible for your suffering will be brought to justice.  This is the time to call Phillip Miller & Associates, the law firm of local Tennessee attorneys and staff who for the past 25 years have dedicated their lives to protecting the rights of injured men, women, and children in Tennessee.

Was It Drowsy Driving?

It happened in the dark of night when for some unknown reason the driver left the roadway, lost control and slammed into a tree right at the driver’s door. The driver was wearing his seatbelt. No one saw the actual accident but a motorist came by and saw the situation and called police. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this unfortunate man.

Investigators searching for clues as to why he left the road will rely on an autopsy to determine whether drugs or alcohol were involved, skid marks, as well as his cell phone records to determine whether he was talking or texting while he was driving. Another possibility is that the driver fell asleep at the wheel.

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 automobile accident contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

When it comes to drinking and driving this experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney knows that stupid is as stupid does. First of all, for people who haven’t been paying attention, it’s stupid to get behind the wheel of any kind of motor vehicle when you have been consuming alcohol. And that warning includes riding lawn mowers.

A Blountville man has been convicted of several DUI charges for a late night lawnmower ride on the wrong side of the road. Police responded to a call reporting a drunk driver and pulled in behind the 46-year-old Blountville man and turned on the emergency lights to get him stopped. Instead of stopping he pulled into the oncoming lane and refused to stop for another half mile.

The police administered a field sobriety test and then a blood test taht showed he was double the drunk driving limit. He was arrested and police said that additional charges are possible as the investigation continues. Stupid is as stupid does.

Drunk driving on a lawn mower might have been thought to be cute when country music legend George Jones was arrested back in the 60s, but today we look at this situation through a new set of glasses.

If you or a loved one is involved in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a drunk driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates

Don't Drink and Drive

and find out about your rights and remedies.

Practice Teen Driver Safety

A message to teen drivers from the National Highway Traffic Administration for National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 17-24, 2010; Keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, and both (hands and eyes) away from your cell phone while driving.

The NHTSA has developed a multi-tiered strategy to prevent motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries among teen drivers: increasing seat belt use, implementing graduated driver licensing, reducing teens’ access to alcohol, and parental responsibility.

The heart of NHTSA’s mission is keeping families safe on America’s roadways. Young drivers, ages 15- to 20-years old, are especially vulnerable to death and injury on our roadways – traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America. Mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers.

Research shows which behaviors contribute to teen-related crashes. Inexperience and immaturity combined with speed, drinking and driving, not wearing seat belts, distracted driving (cell phone use, loud music, other teen passengers, etc.), drowsy driving, nighttime driving, and other drug use aggravate this problem.

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.

He Was Alive, He Drank, He sped, He Died

It was a small article, the end of a young man’s life should take more words, more things should be said, but it was all neatly summed up in a seven-word headline on the web site of a local media outlet. “Drinking and Driving Leads to Teen Death”. The Tennessee Trooper who investigated the wreck said that the 18-year-old was drinking and driving too fast when he tried to exit I-24, lost control, left the road and crashed. His passenger was injured. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this young

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), have the highest crash risk of any age group. I also share some sobering statistics. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities, accounting for 38% of all teen deaths in the United States.

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. Add alcohol to this mix and the odds of an accident rise exponentially.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a drunk 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.

Driving Under The Influence

Knox County Tennessee Assistant District Attorney Kevin Allen posted $5,000 bond and was released from the Anderson County, Tennessee jail after his arrest for Driving Under The Influence and violation of the state Implied Consent Act. As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney I can tell you that in my experience Tennessee law enforcement authorities don’t play favorites when it comes to drinking and driving.

Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes. Here 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.

On average, a human being is killed by a drunk driver every 45 minutes. In 2008, an estimated 11,773 people died in drunk driving related crashs a decline of 9.8 percent from the 13,041 drunk driving related fatalities of 2007.

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.

Great news just in from the website of NewsChannel5 and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fatality rates from drunk driving accidents have fallen in 40 states, which is a sign that educational and enforcement 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.

“Drinking and driving do not ever mix. The message bears repeating especially this time of year,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who announced plans for a $7 million holiday advertising campaign to combat drunken driving. LaHood said states that made the most progress on impaired driving fatalities had been the most aggressive in arresting and prosecuting offenders and using patrols and checkpoints to keep their roads safe.

I say hat’s off to the leadership in Tennessee who made this happen. I encourage each of you to take a minute and give a shout out of thank you to the Governor at 615-741-2001, the Commissioner of Transportation at 615-741-2848 and the Tennessee Highway Patrol at 615-741 5175.

It’s up to you and I to keep this deadly statistic on the decline. This holiday season and for all of 2010 I challenge you to practice safe driving basics by:

1. Planning ahead – Whenever you plan on consuming alcohol, designate your sober driver before going out and give that person your keys;

2. If you are impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely;

3. Promptly report drunk drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement by calling 911 or *847;

4. Wearing your seat belt or using protective gear on your motorcycle is the best defense against an impaired driver;

And remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk . If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take that person’s keys and make other arrangements to get him/her home safely.

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

Rural Drivers

Last week as I was driving on I-40 coming back to Nashville from a meeting with clients in Cookeville, a news report came on one of the local stations telling a man who was injured in a one-car accidentthe crash was alcohol related during which his vehicle flipped and rolled over ejecting him from the vehicle. A bottle of Vodka was found at the scene and the police were investigation whether . My first thought was speed, rollover, no seatbelt and alcohol, what is it with rural people and their driving habits and what can we do to change them.

Statistics gather by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that in 2006, there were 38,588 fatal crashes resulting in 42,642 deaths. Rural areas accounted for 55 percent of the fatal crashes and 56 percent of the fatalities. Urban areas accounted for 45 percent of the fatal crashes and 44 percent of the fatalities.

According to the 2006 Census, 23 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas however, rural fatalities accounted for 56 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2006. In 2006, 14,840 drivers involved in fatal crashes had been drinking (blood alcohol concentration [BAC] = .01+ g/dL) and of these drivers 39 percent were cited for speeding. Rural drivers involved in fatal crashes represented 56 percent of drivers speeding and drinking.  The 2007 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) shows that the seatbelt use rate among occupants of vehicles in urban areas was 84 percent and rural occupants were observed to have a rate of 78 percent.

If you or a loved on is involved in a Tennessee automobile accident with a drunk, speeding or un-seat belted driver contact the experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.