Distracted Driving Epidemic

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney I regularly write about the growing epidemic of of distracted driving fatalities. As our society develops more and more electronic devices to ostensibly make our lives easier we actually make our lives and others on the roadway more dangerous by two to three times. The following are some recently updated statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that shed light on this topic:

In 2009, 5,474 people were killed on U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving;

Of those people killed in distracted-driving-related crashes, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes);

Of those injured in distracted-driving-related crashes, 24,000 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (5% of injured people in distraction-related crashes);

Sixteen percent of fatal crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving;

Twenty percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving;

The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group – 16 percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving.

Of those drivers involved in fatal crashes who were reportedly distracted, the 30- to 39-year-olds had the highest proportion of cell phone involvement;

If you or a loved one are injured or killed by a distracted driver contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

Underage Driinking And Driving

Emergency crews helped to rescue 20-year old driver who was trapped in his SUV after he lost control and flipped the vehicle in downtown Knoxville. He was lucky this time, but thousands of underage drinkers who get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle every year end up dead, seriously injured or having to live the rest of their lives knowing that they caused the death of another human being.

According to an article on the website of Knoxville TV station WBIR, police found alcohol in the wreckage and suspect the driver was under the influence. “Anytime we have, especially a late game, we have more of a problem with alcohol,” Knoxville Police Sgt. Brian Evans said.  “People tend to party all day and they get behind a wheel of a car at night.  Hopefully this is an exception rather than a regular occurrence but anytime alcohol is involved with driving a vehicle usually the outcome is not very good.”

How right Sgt. Evans is. According to Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely, “Many teens feel that bad things will never happen to them, but fatal crashes involving teens happen every day,” he went on to say, “In 2007 alone, we lost 166 Tennessee teenagers in motor vehicle crashes. It is up to all of us to remind our teens to be safe behind the wheel every trip, every time.” According to the United States Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of fatalities among teens in the United States.  In 2007 alone, 4,540 teen passenger vehicle occupants 16 to 20 years old were killed in motor vehicle crashes, and more than half (2,502) were unrestrained at the time of the fatal crash.

It’s our job to prevent under age drinking. Most programs focus on stepped up enforcement on the highway, increased enforcement on liquor and beer retailers who provide alcohol to young people and parents in an effort to have them set a good example for their children and to teach them the danger of drinking and driving.

If you or a loved on is injured in a Nashville automobile accident caused by an underage drunk driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates. We offer a free consultation so that you can get a complete picture of the hurdles you will face as you enter into the process of getting your vehicle and your body repaired.