Teen Drivers

According to witnesses the facts are simple, a 2009 Pontiac G-3 Hatchback, driven by a 19 year old, made a left turn out of KFC’s parking lot, headed east on Madison Street, the vehicle hit a curb, left the roadway, and struck a utility pole. Any questions? Was he speeding or hot-rodding, or was he distracted by the other teens in the vehicle?

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I’d bet that he was hot-dogging, and because of his inexperience was unable to maintain control of the car. Fortunately the driver and three passengers were uninjured, but unfortunately, the bad news is that the 19-year-old passenger in the middle backseat, the one not wearing his seatbelt, slammed forward into the windshield and suffered serious head injuries.

Among experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorneys, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), it is generally agreed that teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile, the crash rate for 16 year-old drivers is 10 times the rate for drivers between 30 and 59. The basic reasons behind this statistic are obvious, teen drivers have no experience with the myriad issues faced by drivers with experience, furthermore, they are immature and often takes risks, most often speeding, and are easily distracted which contribute to the increased death rate.

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.

Teen Driver Dies

Over the last several Blogs at “The Tennessee Auto Accident Attorney” we have talked about younger drivers and the hazards they face as the travel the highways and byways of Tennessee. As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I regularly speak to parents of teen drivers, and on every occasion I remind them that simply telling their children to act in a safe manner when they are behind the wheel, it is the duty of the parents to teach them by example.

One teen died and two others were injured in a single vehicle crash in Grundy County, Tennessee when a teen driver lost control of the car when she attempted to negotiate a curve. The car went off the left side of the road and hit a tree, according to local media reports. From the media report is impossible to say whether speed or distraction, or both were the cause of the crash.

I also share some sobering statistics. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of teen fatalities, accounting for 38% of all teen deaths in the United States. In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and  more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes. Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.

Most Americans typically learn to drive during the teen years, when the brain is not fully mature yet. Recent research is beginning to give us insight why many teens have difficulty regulating risk-taking behavior:

* The area of the brain that weighs consequences, suppresses impulses and organizes thoughts does not fully mature until about age 25.

* Hormones are more active in teens, which influence the brain’s neuro-chemicals that regulate excitability and mood. The result can be thrill-seeking behavior and experiences that create intense feelings.

Chances are, your community has been struck by a tragic accident involving a teenage friend, classmate or family member. Tennessee parents have an excellent resource available at the website of the National Safety Council. Check out http://teendriver.nsc.org/ for helpful tips and suggested study materials.

My experience investigating and trying Tennessee teen driver accident cases tells me that it is never too early to start training your child for the day he or she gets behind the wheel and you watch them drive off into the real world.

If you or a loved is injured in a Nashville or Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Teen Fatality

A 19-year-old Monroe County teen, a passenger in a vehicle driven by a friend was killed in an early morning roadway departure crash. According to local media reports the Toyota he was riding in was heading east when it went off the right side of the road and struck a tree. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this young man.

An important point to note is that neither man was wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident. Because of the time, 4:30 AM and the circumstances of the crash tests are being done to see if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes.

Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.

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.

Drunk Driving Kills

The Tennessee roadway departure fatalities just keep on coming. A Nashville woman was killed after the car she was riding in went into the ditch, flipped, smashed into a wall and flipped again.

The woman was killed in the Roane County, Tennessee crash, while the driver, her husband, was seriously injured. Neither one was wearing a seat belt. Drug and alcohol tests have been requested. Investigating officers must have had a suspicion that alcohol was involved to ask for blood alcohol (BACs) level tests.

Alcohol was a factor in 10,839 highway deaths in 2009. In the past two decades, it accounted for 268,442 deaths. And 10 percent of people in the United States recently admitted to being drunk behind the wheel in the past year, a poll found.

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.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville automobile accident by a drunk driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation so that you can get a complete picture of your rights and remedies.

Keep a Lookout Ahead

As an experienced Nashville auto accident lawyer, I regularly counsel friends and clients to always remain alert when behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. This may sound like such a no-brainer but the reality is that in this day and age with our busy lives, it is very difficult to do.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 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.

Reference a recent fatal accident on I-75 in Loudon County, Tennessee. A crash occurred and traffic began to back up and slow down. A 30-year-old Tennessee woman was somehow distracted and didn’t see the changing traffic until it was too late. She lost control of her car, left the highway on the left side, went into the median on the vehicle’s right side before it began to flip.

A 45-year-old female passenger who was not seat belted was ejected from the car and killed and the driver and the other passengers, an 11, 9 and 7-year-old were injured. The lesson for all Tennessee drivers is that you have to be alert to the traffic around you and especially in front of you.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motor vehicle accident caused by a distracted driver contact the experienced Nashville auto accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation. Call 615-356-2000.

Interstate Roadway Departure Crash

Nashville Police investigators believe excessive speed played a role in an early morning car accident that killed one person just before 3 a.m. on I-65 northbound, near the Trinity Lane exit.

For some unknown reason the driver the driver lost control, left the road and struck a guardrail then hit a support beam of an overhead traffic sign, causing the sign to fall onto the interstate. The 36-year-old Nashville man was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident and was ejected from his vehicle.

An autopsy will determine whether the man suffered a medical emergency and a toxicology screen will be conducted to determine if alcohol or drugs also played a role in the fatal accident. Other causes such as falling asleep and driver distraction will be harder to prove, but tire marks and cell phone record might shed some light on the issue.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney we know that these crashes are referred to as “Roadway Departure Crashes” (RDCs). The Federal Highway Administration defines a RDC as a non-intersection crash that occurs when a vehicle crosses an edge line or a centerline, or otherwise leaves the traveled way.

According to the Federal Highway Administration roadway departure crashes are frequently severe and account for the majority of highway fatalities. In 2008, there were 19,794 fatal roadway departure crashes resulting in 22,080 fatalities, which was 53 percent of the fatal crashes in the United States. FHWA uses the Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to compute statistics on roadway departure crashes.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car crash by a distracted driver or a case like the present one that will require an experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer contact the lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Texting While Driving Leads To Serious Injury

A 26-year-old Crossville Tennessee man was injured in a one-car crash this past Monday. He was driving a Jeep Wrangler on Peavine Rd., he wasn’t wearing his seat belt and he was texting his mother as he drove. While he was distracted from the task at hand, he ran off of the road, into a ditch and was ejected from the vehicle as it rolled over.

The young man is listed in serious condition in the Tennessee Medical Center. Police officers said that citations are pending. My wishes go out for a complete and speedy recovery for the young fellow.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I am acutely aware that 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.

Tennessee law requires the use of seat belts. An overwhelming number of studies show that seat belts, when used correctly, save lives. Seat Belts prevent ejection. Ejection greatly increases the chance of death or serious injury.  The chance of being killed in a crash by being ejected from a vehicle is one in eight.  Safety belts virtually eliminate ejection.  The belted driver stays inside the car and is better protected from injury.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed by a distracted driver contact the experienced Nashville auto accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation.

It appears that a Tennessee automobile accident that took the life of a Dickson County man was caused by a medical emergency that incapacitated him and caused him to lose control of his truck. The driver was not wearing his seatbelt and as the car went out of control and slammed into a house the man was ejected through the windshield. Two passengers, a woman and a 4-year-old boy were uninjured.

Incidences of drivers who had crashes precipitated by their medical emergencies while driving are relatively rare and account for only 1.3 percent of all road fatalities. Older drivers have relatively higher incidences of crashes precipitated by drivers’ medical emergencies when compared to young and middle-age drivers. Drivers in crashes precipitated by medical emergencies were more likely than other drivers to be severely injured or to die as a result of the crash.

Patient education by health care providers on early warning signs of a health crisis, such as warning signs before seizure attacks, diabetic or hypoglycemic comas and potential side effects of medications are recommended as the most effective countermeasure.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile traffic accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to determine your rights and remedies.

Leave The Highway And All Bets Are Off

Would wearing a seat belt have spared this 59-year-old Cocke County Tennessee woman’s life? Investigators think that the roadway departure crash was so severe that a seat belt would not have made a difference. According to the Tennessee State Trooper who investigated the crash, the woman was either distracted or going to fast when she attempted to negotiate a curve in the road. She left the road for about 200 feet and rolled down an embankment and struck a tree.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rear-end, lane change and roadway departure crashes account for approximately 3.6 million police-reported crashes each year on United States roadways. These three crash types result in about 27,500 of the Nation’s 42,000 annual traffic fatalities and contribute to a considerable economic loss due to injuries, property damage and decreased productivity.

If you read my blog you will know that I have been directing attention to what I have called an epidemic of roadway departure crashes. I have called for education and public service announcements by the Tennessee Department of Safety and the Department of Transportation. If you feel the same was I do, contact your local Sheriff, State legislator and ask them to seriously look at this epidemic of death that has our state in it’s grips.

If you or a loved one is killed or seriously injured in a roadway departure crash contact the experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation.

Another Death In A Raodway Departure Crash

The family of a 36-year-old Goodlettsville, Tennessee man will probably never know what caused him to lose control of his Mustang, leave the road and overturn in a ditch. He was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle and killed. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this unfortunate young man. From this horrible vent we should look for a positive lesson and that lesson is that wearing your seat belt just might save your life.

The cause of his death is not much of a mystery, during the crash he was ejected because he did not have his seat belt on.

Tennessee law requires the use of seat belts. An overwhelming number of studies show that seat belts, when used correctly, save lives. Seat belts help prevent injury five different ways, by:

1. Preventing ejection: Ejection greatly increases the chance of death or serious injury.  The chance of being killed in a crash by being ejected from a vehicle is one in eight.  Safety belts virtually eliminate ejection.  The belted driver stays inside the car and is better protected from injury.

2. Shifting crash forces to the strongest parts of the body’s structure.  To get the most benefit from a seat belt, be aware of the following points:

• The lap belt should be worn low over the pelvis with the bottom edge touching the tops of the thighs snugly.

• The shoulder belt should be worn over the shoulder and across the chest, not under the arm and over the abdomen.  Make certain that the shoulder belt is not worn so loosely that it slides off the shoulder.

• Pregnant women should wear the lap belt below the abdomen and the shoulder belt above the belly.

3. Spreading crash forces overa wide area of the body.  Safety belts reduce the possibility of injury from “hostile” surfaces inside the car (steering wheel, dashboard, windshield, controls, etc.).  Even if the belted driver collides with some of these surfaces, it happens with much less force and often results in less serious injury.

4. Keeping the body more closely in the “properdriving posture.” The belt keeps the driver “in the driver’s seat.”  The belted driver is better able to deal with emergencies and often avoids more serious trouble.

5. Protecting the head and spinal cord. The belted driver is less likely to be stunned or made unconscious by the crash and is better able to cope with the situation. Research has found that proper use of lap/shoulder belts reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent (for occupants of light trucks, 60 percent and 65 percent respectively)

If you are the victim of a Nashville or Tennessee automobile accident we urge you to contact our car accident attorneys today for a free consultation. When you hire a Nashville auto accident attorney from Phillip Miller & Associates, you’re getting a qualified and dedicated lawyer. Details about our attorneys and staff can be found by viewing our website at www.seriousinjury.com where you can get to know the men and women who will be looking out for your best interest.