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.

Aggressive Driving or Road Rage?

As law enforcement agencies develop their programs, they should define aggressive driving based on their state laws, customs and practices by the agency, and by the public’s understanding.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines aggressive driving as, “when individuals commit a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property.” Some other communities define aggressive driving as “the operation of a motor vehicle involving three or more moving violations as part of a single continuous sequence of driving acts, which is likely to endanger any person or property.”

To avoid conflict with the term road rage, departments should clearly identify that issue and train their officers to use the correct terminology during the program as well as during traffic stops and public information opportunities. Road rage differs from aggressive driving. It is a criminal offense and is “an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger(s) of one motor vehicle on the operator or passenger(s) of another motor vehicle or is caused by an incident that occurred on a roadway.”

Some behaviors typically associated with aggressive driving include: exceeding the posted speed limit, following too closely, erratic or unsafe lane changes, improperly signaling lane changes, failure to obey traffic control devices (stop signs, yield signs, traffic signals, railroad grade cross signals, etc.). Law enforcement agencies should include red light running as part of their definition of aggressive driving. NHTSA calls the act of red light running as one of the most dangerous forms of aggressive driving.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car accident caused by an aggressive driver, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates.

Rear End Collisions

The main causes of rear-end collisions are following too closely and driving while distracted. When one follows too closely and the car ahead is required to stop it’s harder for the following driver to respond. When one drives and is distracted by using a cell phone, applying make-up, changing the radio of CD or talking to a passenger, they aren’t looking out ahead to see the other car stopping.

Drivers must know and understand the safe and proper braking procedures for vehicles. This includes the principles of allowing adequate following distances or “safety cushion” around your vehicle and the laws of required stops (signs, signals, railroad crossings, school buses, etc.).

To share the road safely, stay a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. Nationally, safety agencies and driver education programs have tried to define a safe following distance for drivers to maintain. This has ranged from a two to four second following distance.

Be alert and know when you will have to stop well ahead of time. Stopping suddenly is dangerous and usually indicates that a driver was not paying attention, was speeding or was not allowing a safe following distance. Try to avoid panic stops by seeing events well in advance. By slowing down or changing lanes, you may not have to stop at all, and if you do, it can be a more gradual and safer stop. As a rule, it is best to never stop on the road, unless necessary for safety or to obey a law (stop sign, etc.).

There are three steps in stopping a vehicle:

• Perception time: The length of time it takes a driver to see and recognize a dangerous situation.

• Reaction time: The time from perception of danger to the start of braking. The average is 2/3 of a second, as noted in blue section of charts on the next page.

• Braking time: This depends on the type and condition of vehicle brakes, as well as vehicle speed.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a driver following too close, or one that is distracted, you owe it to your self to contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation.

Follow At A Safe Distance

A Tennessee tractor-trailer operator was cited for following too closely and causing a two-truck collision in Virginia. According to state Troopers investigating the accident, a third tractor-trailer was slowing down to change lanes and traffic slowed to allow him to complete the change. The Tennessee driver rear-ended the other truck.

Drivers must know and understand the safe and proper braking procedures for vehicles. This includes the principles of allowing adequate following distances or “safety cushion” around your vehicle and the laws of required stops (signs, signals, railroad crossings, school buses, etc.). To share the road safely, stay a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. Nationally, safety agencies and driver education programs have tried to define a safe following distance for drivers to maintain. This has ranged from a two to four second following distance. Use the following tips to determine if you are following too closely:

A. As the car ahead of you passes a stationary point on the road (a sign post, driveway, utility pole, etc.), count the seconds it takes you to reach the same spot. (In the illustration below, you are driving the red vehicle.)

B. Count to yourself “one-thousand and one, one thousand and two,” etc. You should NOT reach the same point on the road before you finish counting to at least “one-thousand-two.” If you do, you are following too closely.

C. Slow down slightly to increase the space between you and the other vehicle. Find another spot to check your new following distance. Repeat this exercise

If you are involved in a Tennessee accident with a tractor-trailer contact an experienced Tennessee tractor-trailer accident lawyer like those you will find at Phillip Miller & Associates. If you or a loved one is injured in a car tractor-trailer accident act quickly and take advantage of a no-cost no-obligation consultation and learn about your rights and put our crack team of lawyers and investigators on the case.

Following Too Closely

A recent Tennessee tractor-trailer rollover crash on I-24 in Rutherford County, and the subsequent ramming of the truck by another vehicle, brings to mind an important concept in driving safety. How far should you be from the vehicle in front of you? The Tennessee Rules Of The Road give a good guidance on this issue.

There are several driving events that require intense concentration by the driver. A driver must always be on the defensive—thinking about what other drivers might do AND be prepared to respond with proper reactions. In addition, certain conditions, especially bad weather, trigger the need for special knowledge and skills.

To share the road safely, stay a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. Nationally, safety agencies and driver education programs have tried to define a safe following distance for drivers to maintain. This has ranged from a two to four second following distance. Use the following tips to determine if you are following too closely:

A. As the car ahead of you passes a stationary point on the road (a sign post, driveway, utility pole, etc.), count the seconds it takes you to reach the same spot.

B. Count to yourself “one-thousand and one, one thousand and two,” etc. You should NOT reach the same point on the road before you finish counting to at least “one-thousand-two.” If you do, you are following too closely.

C. Slow down slightly to increase the space between you and the other vehicle. Find another spot to check your new following distance. Repeat this exercise until you are following no closer than two seconds.

This principle will hold true at any speed on state and federal highway with moderate speed limits. However, during inclement weather, interstate highway driving at higher speeds and night driving, the two-second rule should be increased to allow for improved visibility. A minimum of four seconds should allow for better reaction time and a safer space cushion under these conditions.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident caused by a driver who was following too closely contact the experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.