Car/House Crashes-Are We In An Epidemic?

It’s Deja Vous all over again. This morning I blogged about the recent spate of automobile/house collisions we here in Tennessee are experiencing. What to my surprise when I pick up one of Nashville media reports and see that another collision was avoided only because the car hit a tree that a saved the house.

In addition to the house/car collisions we have seen a number of Hit & Run accident in the last several weeks and this article made clear that we have both in one incident. The driver of the vehicle in question was most probably drunk and speeding in a residential neighborhood when he lost control of his car, left the roadway, and flipped over several times before slamming into the tree. The driver then fled the scene.

Drunk drivers are a trip, their thinking patterns are all screwed up. This guy leaves the ultimate in evidence at the scene, a car registered in his name, and presumes he’s going to get away with it. Drunk drivers put everyone on the road in danger, especially during holiday season, which often combines travel with multiple opportunities to consume alcohol. Driving is both a privilege and a responsibility. Every alcohol-related fatality is preventable, and it is everyone’s responsibility to make the right decision before getting behind the wheel.

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.

Photo: Cleveland.com

Booze It And Lose It

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today kicked off a nationwide crackdown on drunk driving coinciding with the 2011 winter holiday season. New data show drunk-driving deaths declined in 2010 in many parts of the country. However, the data also show that fatalities from alcohol-impaired driving crashes continue to account for one in three deaths on American roadways each year.

“Safety is our focus year round at DOT. But this holiday season, we’re stepping up our efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads and reminding Americans ‘drive sober, or get pulled over,’ ” said Secretary LaHood. “We’re making gains in our fight against drunk driving, but we cannot and will not let up.”

New state-by-state data for 2010 released by the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show a decline in drunk driving fatalities in 32 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Compared with 2009, California and Florida saw the largest reductions — with each declining by more than 100 fatalities last year.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Yet NHTSA data show that last year, 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, including 415 during the second half of December alone.

The education and enforcement effort is the latest push in the Department’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign involving thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. The winter holiday enforcement crackdown is supported by a $7 million national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over advertisement campaign that runs from December 16 through January 2. The ads, which first premiered this past summer, feature “invisible” law enforcement officers observing alcohol-impaired individuals and then apprehending them when they attempt to drive their vehicles. The ads are designed to raise awareness and support law enforcement activities in every state. They convey the message that law enforcement officers are vigilant in deterring drunk drivers.

“Thanks to the hard work of law enforcement and safety advocates and the incredible commitment of organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, we are making real progress in reducing drunk driving deaths,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “Our message to drivers is clear: if you decide to drink, find a safe and sober ride home or you will be pulled over.”

Secretary LaHood and NHTSA Administrator Strickland were joined for today’s announcement by Virginia law enforcement officials and Jan Withers, National President of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

“The data clearly show that while drunk driving remains the primary threat to American families on our roadways, we have a path to progress,” said Withers. “Increased enforcement efforts around the holidays are a vital part of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®, which relies on proven drunk driving countermeasures to eliminate the leading cause of highway fatalities.”

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville automobile accident during this holiday season by a drunk driver, contact the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation. Call 615-356-2000.

Bad Decisions Lead To Bad Consequences

A Johnson City, Tennessee man, a multiple DUI offender, continues to make bad decisions and once again, ends up in jail, this time facing a lengthy sentence. His first bad decision of the day was taking drunk, the second was getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, and his third was to attempt to flee from police making a traffic stop.

He was captured and charged with driving on a revoked driver’s license and felony evading arrest. He was jailed in the Washington County Detention Center on $6,000 bond.

Just how do we, as a society go about keeping these repeat offenders off the road? Alcohol ignition interlocks are a proven tactic to reduce repeat offenses for driving while intoxicated (DWI), but given a choice most offenders don’t voluntarily put them in their vehicles. Even when installation is mandatory, some offenders may sidestep the requirement by agreeing not to drive at all or claiming not to have a vehicle.

In May 2010, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen signed into law a tougher interlock law that requires the use of ignition interlock devices if the offender has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15 percent or higher; is accompanied by a person under 18 years of age; or violates the present implied consent laws. The legislation also provides that those convicted of drunk driving with a BAC under 0.15 have the option to install an ignition interlock device instead of being geographically restricted by a court.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident caused by a drunk driver contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out all you need to know about obtaining a full and complete financial recovery.

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.

Zero Tolerance For Drunk Driving

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I support all efforts by the State to get drunk drivers off the street. This past week, Metro Nashville officers, supported by funds from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, hit the streets for a continuation of the DUI initiative and took 43 drunk drivers off the streets.

The program to enhance visibility on Nashville’s roadways and zero tolerance for impaired drivers are the cornerstones of the police department’s DUI initiative and have resulted in the arrest of 599 suspected drunk drivers.

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. Over the 2008 Labor Day holiday, 12 people were killed in 10 fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways, down from 17 people killed on Tennessee roadways in 2007.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident casued by a drunk driver you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to determine your rights and remedies.

Walk Like MADD

Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) of Tennessee will host its signature Walk Like MADD® non-competitive 5K fundraising walk in Nashville on June 4th, 2011. The walk begins at 9:15am at Bicentennial Mall State Park and will raise funds and rally support for MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®.

This year MADD Tennessee is thrilled to welcome Direct Auto Insurance as our Nashville Presenting Sponsor. One of the many exciting features that this partnership brings to Walk Like MADD is an exclusive guitar that is being given away. Direct Auto Insurance is donating a guitar to MADD Tennessee. But this is no ordinary guitar. This guitar has been autographed by over 30 contemporary recording artists that have performed live at the Direct Auto Garage at Clearchannel Studios over the past year, including  Ke$ha, Paramore and Adam Lambert. The guitar is being given away at Walk Like MADD on Saturday, June 4th. MADD supporters can enter to win the guitar by visiting www.maddtn.org.

“Direct Auto is thrilled to be part of the Walk Like MADD event and hopes this one-of-a-kind guitar giveaway helps to further raise awareness for MADD’s mission to end drunk driving,” says Paul DiFrancesco, Direct’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Operations.

“We thank Direct Auto Insurance for their support and this wonderful guitar give-away which will help us reach more people with our life-saving mission.  Additionally, we encourage families, and groups of friends and co-workers, to lace up their sneakers and join us for this year’s walk,” said Laura Dial, State Executive Director. “With everyone’s help, we can and will eliminate drunk driving — a 100 percent preventable crime.”

In 2009, 303 people in Tennessee were killed in drunk driving crashes. Nationwide, nearly 11,000 lives were lost due to drunk driving and another 400,000 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes.  Funds raised through Walk Like MADD help further MADD’s life-saving mission and the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, which calls for high-visibility law enforcement, ignition interlocks or “in-car breathalyzers” for all convicted drunk drivers and support for the development of advanced technology to turn cars into the cure for drunk driving.

Sponsored nationally by State Farm Insurance, Walk Like MADD events are taking place in 36 cities across the country this year. Registration is $15 for those ages 5-21, and $20 for those who are 21 and over. Corporations and other groups are encouraged to form teams of 10 or more and are asked to raise $100 each through donations.

There are three ways to participate in Walk Like MADD:

1. If you live in the Nashville area, you can register to walk as an individual or form a team.

2. If you are unable to attend the Nashville walk, you can sign up online as a virtual walker.

3. Or, you can give a one-time donation to Walk Like MADD.

Please visit www.walklikemadd.org to register, donate or get more information.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent driver, contact the experienced Nashville auto accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates, and take advantage of a free consultation to determine your rights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000

Military Deaths

Over the last several weeks I have written about a growing problem faced by the U.S. Department of Defense. The problem is that soldiers home from deployment are dying at an alarming rate in high risk automobile and motorcycle accidents. Last week a Command Sgt. Major and Fort Benning, GA was rendered a quadriplegic after his motorcycle, traveling in excess of 140 MPH hit a culvert.

Last week a trial began in Covington, KY in which a 27-year-old Fort Campbell soldier who is charged with Manslaughter in the death of his friend and fellow soldier who was killed when the car they were in crashed into a tree.

As an experienced Nashville car accident lawyer I want to remind you that driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. If you follow my blog you will see that in Tennessee we continue to see a tragic number of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving. This careless disregard for human life must stop.

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.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a motorcycle or car accident caused by a drunk driver, contact the experienced Tennessee auto accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and get the information you need to have to make an informed decision about how to proceed. Call 615-356-2000.

Drinking Driver

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I try to keep my readers up to date on new information on highway traffic safety. New data recently released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that one in ten drivers reported having driven when they thought that their alcohol level might have been close to or possibly over the legal limit within the past 12 months, and just over half of those (5.5 percent of all drivers) reported having done this more than once within the past 12 months.

The AAA Foundation’s study also found that nine out of ten Americans support requiring all drivers who have been convicted of DWI more than once to use a device that won’t let their car start if they have been drinking. And, 69 percent of Americans support requiring all drivers convicted of DWI, including first-time offenders, to use such a device.

Drunk drivers put everyone on the road in danger, especially during holiday season which often combines travel with multiple opportunities to consume alcohol. Driving is both a privilege and a responsibility. Exploring new technologies, such as interlocking devices, are important to ensuring public safety in conjunction with personal responsibility and law enforcement.”

Every alcohol-related fatality is preventable, and it is everyone’s responsibility to make the right decision before getting behind the wheel.

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.

New Tennessee Sanctions For DUI

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney who has for years lobbied for stricter sanctions for drunk drivers, I’m happy to announce that as of the new year some serious sanctions now apply in Tennessee to those with multiple DUIs and blood alcohol levels higher than 1.5 will now be required to pay for and use and ignition interlock device.

An ignition interlock device requires a driver to blow into it and have his/her breath alcohol tested before the car will start. This also applies to drivers convicted of DUI who had a minor in the car, or refuse to take a breath or blood test.

On average a human being loses their life at the hands of a  drunk driver every 45 minutes. In 2008, an estimated 11,773 people died in drunk driving related crashes, a decline of 9.8 percent from the 13,041 drunk driving related fatalities of 2007.

Over 1.46 million drivers were arrested in 2006 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This is an arrest rate of 1 for every 139 licensed drivers in the United States. In 2001, more than half a million people were injured in crashes where police reported that alcohol was present an average of one person injured almost every minute.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville automobile accident caused by a drunk driver, contact the experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free and confidential consultation.

Don't Let Drunks Drive

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I regularly counsel, friends, clients and those who attend my lectures, that if they have been drinking, don’t drive, give up their car keys to another designated driver. This is sound advice, especially since 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.

There is a catch, the key to doing the designated driver thing successfully is to give your keys to someone who hasn’t been drinking. Reference an article in the Greeneville Sun the other day. It appears that Tara Ann Jennings, 21, had been drinking and gave her keys to her friend who himself was drunk, had already had three DUI convictions and had previously been adjudged an habitual motor vehicle offender. Add to those qualifications the fact that he didn’t have a license, and you get a gold star for stupidity.

For her clear thinking Ms. Jennings was charged with DUI by consent which means she, as the registered owner of the vehicle, turned over control of the vehicle to a person she knew or through the exercise of due diligence, should have known, was drunk.

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.