Distracted Driving Is Deadly

Earlier this Fall I blogged a warning to remind you all to pay particular attention to  school buses and children since school was back in session. Knoxville TV station WBIR reported earlier this week on a collision involving a school bus and a car. Citing a Tennessee Highway Patrol Accident Report the news item said that a West Greene County bus carrying 20 students from the Technology Center was driving along Highway 11E when a car driven Jennifer Baker, 21 pulled out from a convenience store parking lot into the path of the oncoming bus.

According to the article one student was transported to the hospital with minor injuries and others complained of back and neck injuries. The car was totaled and the school bus was heavily damaged. Troopers cited Ms. Baker for failure to yield. The school Transportation Director did say that the bus driver, Helen Fincher, did a great job handling the bus during the collision and her skill kept the bus from turning over. Our hats are off to Ms. Fincher and we here at Phillip Miller & Associates are grateful that no student was seriously injured.

According to The Tennessee Rules of the Road, drivers entering a roadway from a private parking lot must the yield the right of way to oncoming vehicles. My first thought when I read about this car/school bus collision was how could the driver of the vehicle entering the roadway from the convenience store parking lot not see a giant yellow bus approaching. My next thought was that either she wasn’t looking because she was not paying attention or she was distracted by something such as a cell phone or radio/CD player/iPod.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the primary responsibility of the driver is to operate a motor vehicle in a safe manner. The task of driving requires full attention and focus. Cell phone use can distract drivers from this task, risking harm to themselves and others. Therefore, the safest course of action is to refrain from using a cell phone while driving. Research shows that driving while using a cell phone can pose a serious cognitive distraction and degrade driver performance. GHSA (Governor’s Highway Safety Association) Chairman Vernon F. Betkey, Jr., says “Education plays a key role in minimizing driver distraction, particularly with teen drivers, who constantly use cell phones and other electronic devices.”

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville school bus car accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.