The other day I wrote on these pages about a 28-year-old Tullahoma woman who was hit by a pickup truck that subsequently left the scene of the accident. In that Blog I suggested that the driver was probably drunk, had lost his/her license for drunk driving related charges in the past, or had no insurance.

Local news media reported today that police arrested the driver and charged him with leaving the scene of an accident and driving on a revoked license. Other charges are pending.

This is a problem that is becoming increasingly acute, drivers who violate the law, lose their licenses and then take to the roads again, ignoring, or thumbing their nose at the law and the safety of others.

Despite improvements in US laws, it still is difficult to detect and arrest alcohol-impaired drivers once they are driving. The estimated chance of arrest when driving with an illegal BAC is less than 1 in 50. A preferable strategy would be to identify impaired drivers before they start the vehicle and prevent them from driving.

There is technology available to accomplish this, and today almost all states have laws that restrict some people convicted of DWI from driving unless their vehicles have been equipped with alcohol ignition interlocks.

These devices have a breath-testing unit that is connected to the vehicle ignition. To start the vehicle, the offender must blow into the device and register a blood alcohol reading below a predetermined level, typically set well below a BAC of 0.08%, the per se threshold for DWI in all states. Ignition interlock restrictions have been shown to be effective at reducing recidivism among repeat offenders, at least while the restriction is in place.

Until recently, laws requiring convicted DWI offenders to install interlocks pertained to repeat offenders or to first offenders with very high BACs (typically 0.15% or higher). However, as of September 2009, 12 states have expanded the interlock requirement to apply to all offenders, including first-time offenders. These states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

In Tennessee the legislature, passed a law requiring all those convicted of DUI to  use the interlock device on their vehicle. The act also prohibits them from driving vehicle without the devices.

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.

Stupid Drunk

As an experienced Nashville, Tennessee automobile accident attorney I can tell you that the best way to insure that your teen driver develops good driving skills and  learns to practice safe driving is for the parents to teach and practice safe driving as the child matures. Experience gained by watching your parents is a sure fire way to learn the proper skills that you will need to make it safely through your teen age years.

On the other hand, there are drivers like Oda Renee Baker, 36, of Whitesburg, who, while driving under the influence of alcohol, with her 10-year-old son as a passenger, attempted to flee a traffic stop and in doing so ran over the foot of Hawkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Scott Alley, before racing away. Ms Baker was driving on a revoked license after having been convicted of  three previous DUI’s. What an example she is to her son.

According to an article in the Kingsport Times-News Baker fled south on Route 66 at a high rate of speed, lost control at a curve, and struck a culvert, tree and several large rocks just south of Forest Hills Road. Her son was taken to the hospital and his condition is unknown. She was charged with two counts of vehicular assault, DUI fourth offense, child endangerment, felony evading arrest and driving on a revoked license.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration about three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives. Over 1.46 million drivers were arrested in 2006 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This is an arrest rate of 1 for every 139 licensed drivers in the United States. In 2008, there were nearly 61 million children age 14 and younger in the United States. This age group made up 20 percent of the total U.S. resident population in 2008. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for ages 3 to 14. In 2008, a total of 1,347 children age 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle driving crashes. Out of those 216 deaths, about half (99) were occupants of a vehicle with a driver who had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08 or higher.

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 an 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.