Red Means Stop

A Nashville man ran a stop light on Dickerson Road near downtown Nashville and was hit by another vehicle in the intersection. Following the collision he hit a motorcyclist and came to a stop. He got out of his vehicle and walked into the road, stopped to light a cigarette, and was then hit by another vehicle and seriously injured.

Police investigators will have to try determine what distracted the driver and caused him to ignore the stop light. From the events following the crash it’s clear that the man was not paying attention to what was going on around him. The crash left two people in critical condition.

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.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville intersection crash contact us at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to learn about your rights and any possible remedies you might be entitled to. Call 615-356-2000

Although the police officer was responding to a priority call, he had failed to engage his emergency equipment and ran a red light. As he entered the intersection he slammed in a convertible occupied by a pair of newlyweds.

As a result of the collision three people including the bride and groom were transported to a local hospital and fortunately none of them sustained life threatening injuries. The officer acknowledged that he had not activated his siren or emergency lights and that he didn’t see the stop sign. He has some questions to answer.

Stop Means Stop

When a person is injured by the negligence of a governmental employee and wishes to be compensated for injuries sustained as the result of the negligence of that employee or agent the procedure for collecting damages is a whole lot different then for a civilian on civilian case.

This precisely why, if you are involved in a Tennessee auto accident caused by a negligent governmental employee, you need an experienced Tennessee government torts liability attorney, like those you will find at Phillip Miller & Associates. Call today for a free consultation at 615-356-2000.

Intersection Accident

Whenever an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer reads about an accident in which a driver or passenger is ejected from the vehicle, the first thought is that the person had not taken time to fasten their seat belt.

That seems to be the case in an accident in Clarksville, Tennessee the other day. According to local media sources two drivers were injured in a wreck at the intersection of 101st Airborne Division Parkway and Parkway Place.

A 23-year-old man was driving a camouflaged Dodge pickup truck and he turned directly into the path of an oncoming BMW that had the right-of-way. The Beemer T-boned the pickup and the pickup driver was ejected as a result of the crash and not wearing his seat belt. Luckily, neither man was killed. The pickup driver suffered head trauma and is in stable condition.

It’s really a simple concept that takes only a second or two to complete, but failure to exercise it can lead to catastrophic results. The use of seat belts are required by Tennessee law.  Seat belts can, and often do, help save you and your passengers’ lives in the event of a traffic crash.

For more information about Tennessee highway safety and some good accident prevention tips go to my website at www.seriousinjury.com.  If you need further information and or the advice of a group of experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyers call Phillip Miller & Associates for the answers.

Helmets Save Lives

A Tennessee man killed in motorcycle/truck intersection wreck in Florida when a Ford-350 pickup truck turned directly in his path at an intersection. According to the Florida Highway Patrol investigator and local media sources, the Tennessee motorcyclist had a green light and was proceeding through the intersection when the Ford pickup turned into his path. The man was taking advantage of Florida law, that allows him to ride without a helmet. My prayers go out to his family and friends.

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating, and most of the time the accident isn’t even the motorcycle rider’s fault.  Very often other drivers are the ones who cause motorcycle accidents, or something as simple as faulty road design or poorly planned construction can contribute to a crash.

Motorcycle accidents can be devastating, and most of the time the accident isn’t even the motorcycle rider’s fault.  Very often other drivers are the ones who cause motorcycle accidents, or something as simple as faulty road design or poorly planned construction can contribute to a crash.

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.

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.

As you enter an intersection, check again for unusual or unexpected actions to the left and right. It is also important to watch for vehicle traffic from the front (oncoming traffic) and rear (approaching/overtaking traffic) of your vehicle at intersections. Be especially aware of vehicles behind you. If the light changes and/or you encounter a vehicle violating the right-of-way that causes you to stop suddenly, will the vehicle behind be able to stop? It is not uncommon for drivers to run red lights or stop signs resulting in a head-on or rear-end collision.

Yesterday, a 55-year-old man died as a result of a three-car accident in Savannah, Tennessee. A man was driving Southbound on Tennessee Highway 128 (Pickwick Rd) when a City of Savannah Public Works truck, turning left onto the same road, failed to yield to the oncoming traffic and clipped the mans vehicle, causing it to go out of control, cross into the Northbound lane into the path of the deceased. The subsequent collision caused the death of this man. Charges are pending against the truck driver.

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

Intersection Fatality

. 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.

Over the last several days I have been writing a lot about teen drivers and parental responsibility. Yesterday I wrote about how easily distracted teens become when they have a myriad of electronic devices at hand while they are driving. Cell phones are the number one offender.

On Wednesday this problem played itself out when a 16-year-old Franklin, Tennessee driver slammed into a police car at an intersection. The officer was on patrol and as he crossed through an intersection the teen girl, going in the opposite direction, made a left turn directly into the patrol car at the driver’s door. Both drivers received minor injuries.

The accident is being investigated by the Tennessee Highway Patrol and I can assure you that the first thing they are going to look at is the teen’s cell phone to determine whether she was using it at the time of the impact. From the facts it appears that the young woman couldn’t have been paying attention to what she was doing, I mean I doubt she hit the patrol car on purpose, and if she had been on the lookout, she should, in the exercise of due care, seen the police vehicle and avoided hitting it.

This situation again brings up the question; is a 16-year-old mature enough to be driving a motor vehicle, and the studies and incidents like this indicate that the time has come to raise the age.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Drunken Driving Fatality

A Nashville man decided to drive drunk.  Little did he know that that decision would forever alter his life and end the life of another man. An article on the website of WSMV TV reports that Timothy Rush, 34, has been charged with vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment and DUI following a fatal crash. According to the article Rush ran a stop sign and T-boned a car driven by Calvin Miller, Jr., 29, who was rushed to Vanderbilt Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. My prayers go out to the family and friends of Mr. Miller. A witness said that after the collision Rush tried to drive away but he hit a power pole. A third vehicle was involved but neither the driver nor the passenger were injured.

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 Tennessee automobile accident caused by a drunk driver and you hope to recover all of the damages the law allows you need to consult with an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney like those at Phillip Miller & Associates. We offer a free consultation so that you can gain the information you will need to face this odyssey through the legal system.

www.wsmv.com/news/24109729/detail.html

Reduce Intersection Crashes

My experience as a Nashville automobile accident lawyer and my study on the subject of intersection crashes tells me that Red Light Cameras (RLCs) reduce the number of fatalities, personal injuries and property damages to a huge extent.

A recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study in Oxnard, California, showed that red light running violations dropped a total of 42 percent after well publicized photo enforcement was introduced. Another study in Fairfax, Virginia, showed that violations declined about 40 percent after one year of photo enforcement. A key to all effective traffic law enforcement is publicity; without it there is no deterrent effect, and the purpose of red light cameras is deterrence.

In a recent national survey of voters, Public Opinion Strategies found that fully 69% of Americans support the use of “red-light cameras” at the most dangerous intersections in their states, while just 29% oppose them. Those voters “strongly” supporting red-light cameras outnumber those who strongly oppose them by a wide 45%-18% margin.  The study showed support for these red-light cameras is not only very strong nationally, but cuts across all demographic and attitudinal groups, including men and women, young and old, Republicans and Democrats, and conservatives and liberals.

In Tennessee a number of cities and towns use the cameras and the results are positive. There is a move from some political persons to ban the use of RLCs statewide, claiming that they are a violation of our Constitution. I suggest that these political people, for whatever their reasons, leave the job of traffic enforcement to the local governments. Despite the fact that the statistics show a decrease in accident and injury, they simply deny the facts. It’s time for some leadership from our elected officials. To those “flat world politicians”, I suggest that we embrace technology in the spirit of saving lives.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee intersection accident you are going to need an experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer, one who understand the myriad avenues of seeking just compensation for victims. Intersection accidents may well be the fault of the designers of the roadway as well as the speeding or negligent driver who hits you. At Phillip Miller & Associates we have just the kind of experience tht you need to assure you are adequately compensated.

Any Nashville car accident lawyer worth his/her salt will tell you that cities and counties all over Tennessee are serious about reducing car accidents. Many towns are going hi-tech and using traffic cameras to enforce the law. A recent report from Oak Ridge points out that in the first month of operation more than 4000 traffic violations have been issued through using the traffic safety cameras. That’s alot of points going on peoples’ records, and those points can cause a suspension of driving privileges (to see Tennessee’s point system, click here).

The hot spot was at the intersection of Illinois Ave. and Robertsville Rd. that accounted for 3,942 of the violations. The majority of the violations were for speeding with red-light violations coming in second. Chief of Police David Beams warned the public that the police are serious about preventing car accidents and that the cameras will soon be installed at school zones.

As an experienced Nashville car accident attorney I can tell you that these communities are serious about reducing car crashes in Tennessee and that these hi-tech devices are a good way to start.

As a Nashville and Tennessee car accident lawyer I have been paying particular attention to attempts by the state and municipal governments in Tennessee to promote and insure public safety in the area of car accidents. As more and more cities in Tennessee are installing what has become known as “red light cameras” recent statistics are starting to show that the program, originally touted as a safety measure, might well be less about traffic safety then it is about filling the coffers of the government. The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro and the Tennessee Center for Policy Research reported that after twelve months of operation side-impact car crashes decreased from seventy-one to sixty-three while the number of rear-end car crashes actually increased by 24%.

During this same period a total of 19,995 citations were issued resulting in a total of $1.3 million in fines and penalties. Tennessee car accident lawyers are well aware of the fact that if all drivers followed the rules of the road and practiced a modicum of courtesy that car accidents in Tennessee would decline dramatically.