Are You A Road Rager?

As an experienced Tennessee car accident lawyer, I regularly witness the role of aggressive drivers in many Tennessee car accidents. Statistics suggest that as many as one third of traffic crashes resulting in death can be attributed to aggressive driving and two-thirds of resulting deaths can be attributed to aggressive driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)  defines aggressive driving as “the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner which endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.” Some of the most common actions considered aggressive include:

* Speeding

* Red light running

* Failure to yield

* Following too closely

* Unsafe lane changes

* Failure to obey traffic control devices

* Failure to use proper signals

* Improper passing

Many states around the nation have specific statutes prohibiting aggressive driving, specifically drag racing. In Tennessee aggressive driving is addressed in the statutes as Reckless Driving. TN Code section 55-10-205)55-10-205, describes reckless driving as; “Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property commits reckless driving.” Sound like the shoe fits the drag racer? You bet it does.

I would encourage each driver who ventures out onto the highways and byways of Tennessee to arm themselves with the telephone number of the appropriate law enforcement agency, either 911 or *847 for State Troopers and when you witness an aggressive driver, or a drag racer, pull over to a safe place and call in the license number, description of the vehicle and any other specifics that you observed. Save a life and tell all of your friends and families to step up and help reduce traffic fatalities in Tennessee.

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, or contact our office online here.

One last thing: If you are hurt and have any questions at all, contact our office at (615) 356-2000. Don’t delay. Cases involving personal injury or death in Tennessee must be acted on quickly. Time is running. Call for an appointment, if it’s bad enough that you need to read this far into a website blog, it’s bad enough to get an attorney involved.

Tennessee Intersection Accident

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 (2004 NHTSA data). Be very careful when approaching any intersection or driveway. Never assume another driver will yield the right-of-way to you. Always be prepared to stop.

In 2009, there were 33,808 fatalities on our Nation’s roadways. Of these, 7,043 (20.8% of total fatalities) were intersection or intersection related. An intersection is a planned point of conflict in the roadway system. With different crossing and entering movements by both drivers and pedestrians, an intersection is one of the most complex traffic situations that motorists encounter.

Dangers are compounded when we add the element of speeding motorists who disregard traffic controls. Despite improved intersection design and more sophisticated applications of traffic engineering measures, the annual toll of human loss due to motor vehicle crashes has not substantially changed in more than 25 years.

Tennessee drivers need to learn to look both ways as you near an intersection. Before you enter an intersection, continue checking traffic from both the left and right for approaching vehicles and/or crossing pedestrians.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile intersection accident contact the experienced Nashville car crash lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

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.

Intersection Crash

According to the Tennessee Rules of the Road, when you are sitting at a green light that doesn’t have a protected left turn arrow, you are required to wait and yield the right of way to oncoming vehicles. In this kind of situation green doesn’t mean go, it means wait until the oncoming traffic has cleared.

Unfortunately for a Springfield, Tennessee man, he failed to yield and the error cost him his life. According to local media sources the driver had a green light but he turned into oncoming traffic and hit an SUV head-on. The man was pronounced at a local hospital and three other people were injured but their injuries were considering non-life threatening. Our prayers go out to the family and friends of the deceased and to the injured for a speedy and complete recovery.

If you or a loved one are injured or killed in an accident like this, contact the experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates, and take advantage of a free consultation. Call 615-356-2000.

A Red Light Always Means Stop

Yesterday morning three people were injured in a crash involving a Metropolitan Transit Authority bus and a car. The accident took place at 9th Avenue North and Church Street. Three people on the bus were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Local media sources reported that witnesses told police that the driver of the car ran a red light and hit the bus. Neither the driver of the car, nor the bus driver, were hurt.

Traffic Signals are used to control vehicle drivers and pedestrians at some intersections and crosswalks. Signals promote better movement of traffic on busy roads by assigning right of way. Traffic Signals are usually placed at heavily traveled intersections.

These lights tell you when or where to stop and go. A green light means you can go if it is safe. A yellow light means caution—prepare to stop for the red light. The red light always means stop. Standard traffic lights are red, yellow and green, from top to bottom respectively.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville Automobile accident caused by a red light runner contact the experienced Nashville auto attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Man Dies In Hospital After Wreck

A Huntingdon, Tennessee man was died Saturday after he was injured in a two-vehicle accident earlier this month in Henry County, according to local media reports.

I wrote about this accident in an earlier weblog. The 66-year-old-man, was stopped for a flashing red light on Tenn. 140 at an intersection with Highway 54 about 6:19 p.m. Nov. 11. For some unknown reason he pulled out directly into the path of a pick up truck coming alone Highway 54, with the right-of-way.

The pickup driver tried to swerve to avoid the collision but he never had a chance. He struck the man on the left side of his vehicle at the drivers door and then lost control and slammed into a building. This driver was wearing his seatbelt, not so for the deceased man and his passenger who was also seriously injured.

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.

Intersection Crash

A Bell Buckle, Tennessee woman was killed in a two-vehicle intersection crash on U.S. Highway 231 Thursday night. According to local media reports, the 31-year-old woman stopped at a sign and for some unknown reason, pulled out directly into the path of a 33-year-old Murfreesboro woman who had the right of way. My prayers go out to both people involved in this horrible situation.

Most car accidents in Nashville happen because people are in a rush, speeding, not paying attention, texting or talking on the phone.  An accident can happen anywhere but Nashville police who monitor car crashes will tell you that there are certain intersections where you can count on an accident or two just about every day.

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 (2004 NHTSA data). Be very careful when approaching any intersection or driveway. Never assume another driver will yield the right-of-way to you. Wait until the coast is clear and always be prepared to stop.

The Tennessee 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.

Preventing injuries and deaths at intersections should be a high priority for towns and cities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2005 alone, nearly 9,200 people died and approximately one million people were injured in intersection-related crashes which account for approximately 40-45 percent of all crashes.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville intersection collision contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well. Call 615-356-2000.

Yield To Emergency Vehicles

For  local media report to be helpful to use as teaching aides for Tennessee drivers they have to contain all of the relevant facts. A good example is a report out of Memphis describing an intersection crash between a car and a police unit. According to the report the officer was proceeding through the intersection with his lights and siren on when a woman in a Honda SUV entered the intersection, hitting the police cruiser. Unfortunately we don’t know if the woman driver had the green light. Three people were transported but none were in serious condition.

As we go about our daily business, we are watched over by law enforcement, fire rescue and emergency medical teams. We need to be aware as drivers what to do when one of these emergency vehicles approaches. The Number One rule is, when you hear or see an emergency vehicle of any type approaching from any direction, pull as far to the right as possible and stop!

When you observe or hear an emergency vehicle approaching, what should you do? Upon the immediate approach of an emergency vehicle sounding a siren and flashing emergency lights, a driver must yield the right of way and immediately drive to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the nearest edge or curb of the highway clear of any intersection and remain there until the emergency vehicle has passed. Exercise extreme caution around an emergency situation and follow the directions given by a police officer.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car accident caused by a Nashville driver who fails to yield the right of way, time is of the essence. Contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates as soon as possible. Call 615-356-2000.

Keep A Lookout For motorcycles

With more and more people taking to the roads in motorcycles it has become urgent that Tennessee automobile and truck drivers exercise due care when making driving decisions. Keep on the lookout for motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Reference a recent pickup truck motorcycle crash near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee was directly related to the pickup driver’s failure to keep a look out when he made an illegal u-turn and pulled directly into the path of an oncoming Harley-Davidson rider who was airlifted to Vanderbilt University in serious condition. The truck driver was cited for an improper turn and failure to exercise due care.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a Nashville motorcycle accident or auto accident as a result of distracted driving or other negligent driving?  If so, you should call the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates, a Nashville motorcycle accident lawyer from our law firm will fight to help you win. We will treat you with the utmost compassion and respect. Call us today and speak with an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer to discuss the details of your case. Call (615) 356-2000.

Intersetion Fatality

A 57-year-old Columbia, Tennessee woman was killed in a crash at the intersection of Chestnut Ridge Road and U.S. Highway 31. According to local media reports the woman was attempting to cross the South bound lanes of Highway 61 to turn left to go northbound, when she pulled out into the path of a southbound cargo van that slammed into her at highway speed at the drivers door.

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. Be very careful when approaching any intersection or driveway. Never assume another driver will yield the right-of-way to you. Wait until the coast is clear and always be prepared to stop.

“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. Look first to the left to make sure cross traffic is yielding the right-of-way. Then look for traffic from the right. If stopped, look both left and right just before you start moving. Look across the intersection before you start to move to make sure the path is clear through the intersection. Above all avoid distractions, if you have to use your cell phone wait until you are finished with your call and then focus on what you are about to do.

The lesson for Tennessee Teens here is perfectly clear. Keep your mind and you eyes on the road and avoid doing things that distract you from focusing on this task.

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