Asleep At The Wheel

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney when I see a report of a teen driver crossing the centerline and slamming into another vehicle, my first thought goes to the question of distraction by cell phone use. First of all, 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. Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event.

In the case of a Macon County, Tennessee teen involved in exactly this kind of double  fatality collision, the police believe that the cause of the wreck was that the teen 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 are involved in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a distracted driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Drowsy Driving

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.

Reference a recent case near Clarksville Tennessee that doesn’t have this problem. The driver survived to tell his story and it was a classic case of drowsy driving. A 51-year-old man traveled all night from Memphis and went directly to work. He was experiencing extreme fatigue and his boss sent him home.

On the way home in his 1999 Ford Taurus, he fell asleep near the River Run subdivision at about 12:55 p.m. He veered off the road, hit the utility pole and overturned into a ditch. Power lines landed on his car, causing it to catch fire. Firefighters from Clarksville Fire Rescue responded and had to put out the fire twice. The driver managed to climb out and was not seriously injured, according to responders at the scene.

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.

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 Nashville personal injury 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.

In the quarter century from 1985 through 2009, the lives of 1,055,881 men, women, and children have ended violently as the result of motor vehicle crashes in the United States. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children, teens, and young adults.

Statistics from the United States Department of Transportation indicate that 33,808 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2009. Although this represents the fewest people killed in crashes in a single year since 1950, it also represents an average of 93 lives needlessly cut short on an average day as the result of crashes on our roads.

Since 2006, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has been sponsoring research to better understand traffic safety culture. The Foundation’s long-term term vision is to create a “social climate in which traffic safety is highly valued and rigorously pursued.” In 2008, the AAA Foundation conducted the first annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, a nationally-representative telephone survey, to begin to assess a few key indicators of the degree to which traffic safety is valued and is being pursued.

Summary of Major Findings

Personal experience with crashes

• One of every two Americans has been involved in a serious crash, has had a friend or relative seriously injured or killed in a crash, or both.

Perceptions of safety

• More than half of all drivers (52%) say driving feels less safe today than it did 5 years ago a 17-percentage-point increase from only a year ago. Nearly half cite some form of driver distraction as the main reason or as a reason for their feeling less safe.

Attitudes and behaviors: Drinking and driving

• Drivers view drinking and driving as a very serious threat, virtually all drivers disapprove of drinking and driving and acknowledge that others also disapprove of it, and very few drivers admit drinking and driving (fewer than 2 drivers in 100 admit having done so in the past month).

• There is almost universal support for requiring alcohol-ignition interlocks for drivers convicted of DWI more than once, and more than 2 in 3 Americans support requiring interlocks for first-time DWI offenders.

Attitudes and behaviors: Cell phone use and texting

• Cell phone use while driving has become widespread—more than 2 in 3 drivers report talking on their cell phone while driving in the past month; more than 1 in 3 say they do so fairly often or regularly. There is moderate social disapproval toward using a hand-held cell phone while driving, but over half of all drivers believe incorrectly that most others actually approve of it. Presently, people are generally accepting of hands-free cell phone use.

• Most people view drivers texting and emailing while driving as a very serious threat to their own personal safety and consider it completely unacceptable. However, many drivers don’t perceive social disapproval from others. Nearly 1 in 4 drivers (24%) admit to texting or emailing while driving.

• A two-thirds majority of Americans support restricting the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, but more people oppose (50%) than support (46%) an outright ban on using any type of cell phone (including hands-free) while driving. There is strong support for laws restricting texting while driving.

Attitudes and behaviors: Speeding

• Speeding on freeways is widespread—45% of drivers say they have driven 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway in the past month—and nearly 1 in 3 say they consider it acceptable to do so. In contrast, driving 15 mph over the speed limit on residential streets is much less common, and is rated as one of the most unacceptable things that a driver can do.

• Nearly 2 in 3 drivers report at least occasionally feeling pressure from other drivers to drive faster than they want to drive; more than 1 in 3 say they feel such pressure fairly often or regularly.

• More than 2 in 3 Americans support having more police on the roads to enforce speed limits.

Attitudes and behaviors: Red light running

• Most drivers view it as unacceptable to drive through a traffic light that has already turned red if they could have stopped safely; however, 1 in 3 drivers admit doing this in the past month.

Attitudes and behaviors: Drowsy driving

• Most drivers view driving while extremely drowsy as a serious threat to their safety and a completely unacceptable behavior, however, more than 1 in 4 still admit to driving when they were so tired that they had a hard time keeping their eyes open at some point in the past month.

Attitudes and behaviors: Seat belt use

• Most drivers view it as unacceptable to drive without wearing a seatbelt, and more than 3 of 4 say that they never do; however, nearly 1 in 10 admits that they drive without wearing their seat belt fairly often or regularly.

• 2 of every 3 Americans support laws allowing police officers to stop and ticket a driver for not wearing a seat belt even if they’re not breaking any other law.

For information on Tennessee highway safety issues and advice if you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident contact Phillip Miller & Associates.

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.

Sleeping While Driving Always Ends In Tragedy

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney I have long known that drowsy driving is a factor in nearly 17% of fatal crashes nationwide.  Two out of every five drivers (41 percent) admit to having fallen asleep at the wheel at some point, with one in ten saying they’ve done so in the past year, according to a new AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study. More than a quarter of those surveyed admitted they drove despite being so tired that they had difficulty keeping their eyes open in the previous month.

Eighty-five percent of drivers surveyed felt it was completely unacceptable for someone to drive if they are so tired they are having trouble keeping their eyes open. Unfortunately, drivers may not always be aware of the effects of fatigue resulting from a lack of sleep. I am writing this blog because I want all of my readers to recognize the seriousness of this dangerous, yet underestimated, driving practice.

When you are behind the wheel of a car, being sleepy is very dangerous. Sleepiness decreases awareness, slows reaction time, and impairs judgment, just like drugs or alcohol, contributing to the possibility of a crash. We need to change the culture so that not only will drivers recognize the dangers of driving while drowsy but will stop doing it.

A new analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash data estimates that about one in six (16.5 percent) deadly crashes, one in eight crashes resulting in occupant hospitalization and one in fourteen crashes in which a vehicle was towed involve a driver who is drowsy. These percentages are substantially higher than most previous estimates, suggesting that the contribution of drowsy driving to motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and deaths has not been fully appreciated.

This data underscores the importance of educating drivers on the simple, yet effective steps they can take to prevent a possible tragedy. Unfortunately, too many drivers have adopted the ‘I’m tired, but I can make it’ mentality, often to their own peril or to the peril of others.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident caused by a drowsy driver you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies

She Fell Asleep At The Wheel

A 20-year-old Nashville woman has been charged in Greeneville Tennessee with misdemeanor death by vehicle, following a November car crash that took the lives of two of her 20-year-old sorority sisters.

Police blame the accident on the driver falling asleep at the wheel in the early morning Tennessee car crash as the three women were on their way to a beauty salon to prepare for their induction into the sorority. I’m thinking there must be more information that the local media reports failed to mention, because I can’t see where drowsy driving arises to a criminal offense.

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.

Less than half of Americans say they get a good night’s sleep every night. Combine excessive sleepiness with an automobile and our risk for a fall-asleep crash increases significantly. In fact, 28% of American drivers have admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, according to a recent National Sleep Foundation poll, and more than half (54%) said they have driven while drowsy.

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.

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.

Asleep At The Wheel

A Humboldt woman and Brighton man were killed at approximately 2 A.M. Sunday morning in a roadway departure accident on Interstate 40 in Henderson County Tennessee. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol Investigator and local media sources two people were driving along the interstate in a Ford Expedition when the SUV ran off the road, overcorrected and overturned.

Investigators say neither of the people in the SUV were wearing seatbelts and both were ejected and killed. The ejected woman’s body was struck by an oncoming tractor-trailer.

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.

Investigators believe that a one vehicle fatal crash 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.

If you or a loved one is seriously injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident caused by a drowsy driver you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation.

Restaurant Car Collision

A popular Hendersonville Tennessee restaurant suffered some serious damage when a local man driving a truck fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into the front of the building.

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.

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 a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motor vehicle collision caused by a sleeping driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

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.

Tyler Sneed, the 18-year-old son of the Dayton, Tennessee Police Chief was laid to rest this past week after he died as the result of a roadway departure crash. Local media articles reported that he had been hunting on Thursday night, went to a party on Friday night, and they believe he fell asleep at the wheel while returning home. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this young man.

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