It's Big and Yellow and has Blinking Lights

A Memphis man, the driver of a Jeep Cherokee, told police he was distracted and didn’t see the emergency lights, or the stop sign on a huge yellow school bus, nor the hearing impaired child prior to striking the child. According to local media reports the driver of the school bus activated the red lights and stop sign at which time the 13-year-old left his driveway and proceeded to board the bus.

The young man suffered injuries to his head and was transported by ambulance to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. He is in critical but stable condition. Our prayers go out to him for a speedy and complete recovery.

He did not tell the police what had distracted him, but I’d bet a dollar to a donut he was using his cell phone. 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. Investigators will most probably review her cell phone records and find that she was engaged in a conversation with someone.

Come on people, it’s up to us to change the culture of distracted driving. Education is the first step and enforcement is the next. The distracted driver was charged with Failure to Maintain Control and Safe Lookout along with Overtaking and passing a school bus. Alcohol and speed were not factors in the accident.

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. Call 615-356-2000

Road Rage Is A Crime

In my Blog  “The Tennessee auto Accident Attorney” I haven’t written about a road rage incident in quite a while. A recent article on the website of WRBC TV in Chattanooga reports on a serious incident of rage, which fortunately didn’t leave anyone injured. It appears that a driver was somehow miffed at a school bus driver who was trying to change lanes. The miffed driver wouldn’t yield and the bus driver completed the lane change anyway. When the bus stopped at a light the raging driver jumped on board and confronted the driver. When the bus driver called 911 the rager fled.

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, on the other hand, is a criminal offense. Road rage 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. 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.

The public also plays a role in making roadways safer.  If you’re a witness to, or victim of road rage or any other form of aggressive driving, report it by dialing *847.  Never retaliate or react in a manner that causes more danger. Slow down and let the other driver pass.  When it’s safe to use your cell phone, call *847 and provide the Troopers with your location, a description of the vehicle and details regarding the aggressive driving behavior.

If you or a loved one is involved in a Tennessee automobile accident involving an aggressive or  road rage driver it is critical that you contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.