Roadway Departure Crashes

Whenever you see an accident, usually involving one car that, for no apparent reason leaves the road, an experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer starts thinking about driver distractions. Just what was the driver doing moments before the crash that caused his/her vehicle to go off the highway? What caused the driver to change focus from driving to other things?

Reference three Tennessee car accidents this past Saturday resulting in two deaths and one driver with minor injuries. A single car wreck claimed the life of a 33-year-old Dresden man. Police say the man was driving along when his Yukon SUV left the road and hit a guardrail. The man was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from his vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

In Nashville, a man was driving in excess of the speed limit on Dickerson Road when for no apparent reason he veered off the roadway and hit a telephone pole. His car burst into flames and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Later that night a 2002 Jeep Liberty driven by a 16-year-old Obion County teen driver  ran off the road, over-corrected, went off the road again and crashed into a roadside ditch. The teen was wearing her seat belt and suffered only minor injuries.

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney the main question is what were each of these drivers doing in the two seconds before their vehicle left the road? Statistics show that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve 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.

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.

The lesson here for Nashville drivers is that you must keep all of your attention on the acting of driving and avoid distractions. 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 and experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer contact the lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Roadway Departure Fatality

Melissa Frederick was 33 years and fifteen minutes old when her life ended. We will probably never know just what it was that caused her to leave the interstate roadway, hit a guardrail, get ejected and then crushed by her vehicle.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney I know that the investigators will conduct toxicology tests to determine if she had ingested any drugs or alcohol, they will check her cell phone records to determine whether she was talking or texting at the time she left the road, but whatever the results, the bottom line is that a young Tennessee woman is now dead, another highway fatality statistic. My prayers and sympathy go out to her family and friends.

I write about this tragedy in the hopes that others who read it will learn something from this fatal Tennessee car crash. The use of seat belts is required by Tennessee law. Seatbelts can help save you and your passenger’s lives in the event of a traffic crash. The THP investigator noted in his report that Ms. Frederick was not wearing her seatbelt and was ejected and crushed by her own vehicle.

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.

The lesson here for Tennessee drivers is that you must keep all of your attention on the act of driving and avoid distractions. If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident contact the experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and learn about your rights and remedies.

Roadway Departure Crash

Two Tennessee automobile accidents this past week caught my attention and brought to mind a subject I have been wanting to write about. The Jackson Sun from Jackson Tennessee reported on these accidents. They are both single car accidents, the first one involved a driver on US 412 who, according to witnesses, simply drove off of the right shoulder of the road, rolled over down an embankment. The driver was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown free of the vehicle and was killed.

The second accident happened on I-40 when the vehicle simply drove off the North side of the Westbound lane traveling 350 feet before hitting a tree, killing the driver.

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.

What causes a driver to simply drive off of the road and crash their vehicle? The two main causes are drowsy and distracted driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving “is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities.” But among all the major factors that cause or contribute to crashes, like speeding, alcohol use, and weather situations, drowsiness is the most difficult for police and other crash investigators to detect and quantify.

Sleepiness and driving is a dangerous combination. Most people are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving but don’t realize that drowsy driving can be just as fatal. Like alcohol, sleepiness slows reaction time, decreases awareness, impairs judgment and increases your risk of crashing.

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.  Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a drowsy or distracted Tennessee driver you owe it to your self to contact the experienced Nashville accident and injury lawyers at Philip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

Distracted Drivers

Whenever you see an accident, usually involving one car that leaves the road, an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney starts thinking about driver distractions. Just what was the driver doing moments before the crash that caused his/her vehicle to go off the highway? What caused the driver to change focus from driving to other things?

I’ve noticed several accidents like this in East Tennessee this past week and I thought I might use them as examples to my readers of why it is so important to keep your focus on your driving and ignore distractions.

Item One – A man and his 7-month old baby were injured when their SUV left the road and rolled over;

Item Two – A Lenoir man was driving along I-75 when he lost control of his car and ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree killing one of his passengers and injuring himself and his teenage daughter. None of the people were wearing a seat belt.

Item Three – In Chattanooga a mother and her child were driving on a County roadway when their car left the road and struck a railroad crossing sign, trapping the occupants in the vehicle.

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. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness.

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.

Who Is Responsible for Roadway Safety?

Everyone. We all are responsible for driving, walking, and biking safely on our Nation’s roads. The engineers and planners have the responsibility to make sure that roads are designed and operating properly — with safety for all road users in mind. Drivers and pedestrians have the responsibility to always be alert and obey the traffic rules. Passengers should always buckle up and act responsibly. The police and the courts have the responsibility to make sure that the traffic and pedestrian laws are enforced. Public safety agencies have the responsibility of responding to and securing crash locations and enforcing traffic laws. Local communities and county and state governments need to allocate funding for safe roads and increase public awareness about road safety. Everyone should take responsibility for roadway safety.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident by a distracted driver contact the experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates and firnd out about your rights and remedies. There is no cost to you or your family for a consultation.

Avoid Distractions

Why this tragic tractor-trailer/pickup truck accident happened will most probably never be known but the article in the Bowling Green Daily-News reporting from an accident report from the Kentucky State Police, says that Adam Bowen, 30, of Campbellsville, Kentucky was driving on I-65 in the early morning hours when his pickup truck drifted off the left side of the road and as he over corrected, the vehicle crossed the highway and ran off the right side of the road crashed into the embankment and came to a stop in the right lane of traffic where both Mr. Bowen, who was not wearing a seatbelt, and the pickup were hit by a tractor-trailer and two other vehicles. My prayers go out to Mr. Bowen’s family and friends.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney the first question that comes to my mind is what caused Mr. Bowen’s truck to veer to the left shoulder. Was he distracted by something he was doing in the car or was he tired and fell asleep? These are the questions that will probably never be answered.

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. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness.

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.

Another question we will never be able to answer is whether Mr. Bowen would have died if he had been wearing his seatbelt? Because of the fact that his pickup was rammed by a tractor-trailer and two other vehicles, it’s impossible to say one way or another. Seatbelt usage reduces automobile crash-related deaths and injuries by at least 50 percent.

To prevent this kind of accident in your life attention must be paid to a few simple rules. If you are sleepy immediately get off the road and take a nap. Always wear your seat belt, whether you are driving on the interstate highway system, or just taking a short drive to the grocery store and always avoid distractions like cell phone use, texting or anything that requires you to take your eyes off of the road for even a couple of seconds.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Nashville automobile accident caused by a distracted or drowsy driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation and find out about your rights and remedies.

Avoid Distrations

Monday, two young men working on a cable barrier along I-75, were killed by a distracted truck driver. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported that a commercial truck veered off the highway in Anderson County and struck the two men, identified as Cheyenne Dakota Burke, 18, and Jeffrey Brian Thompson, 19. Although an investigation into the crash is ongoing, one must conclude that something caused the truck driver to be distracted and caused him to leave the road. My deepest sympathy goes out to the families and friend of these two young men.

These days, people are bombarded with devices that can help accomplish more in less time. With people spending an average of about one hour and 15 minutes in their vehicles every day, unfortunately, other activities –from talking to the kids to eating dinner, often take place behind the wheel. Experts estimate that drivers are doing something potentially distracting more than 15 percent of the time their vehicles are in motion. So little time, so many multi-taskers. If you’re driving your vehicle, you are already multitasking. At a minimum you are: operating a piece of heavy machinery at high speed; navigating across changing terrain; calculating speeds and distances; and responding to all the other drivers and obstacles around you. Putting one more activity in the mix –even talking to your passengers or changing a radio station, can be enough to make you lose control of your vehicle or fail to respond in an emergency.

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. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness.

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.

Accidents like this require the families of the deceased to find an experienced automobile accident and workers compensation attorney. Both of these men were on the job when they were killed and should be compensated under the Tennessee Workers Compensation Law. Unfortunately workers comp might not pay for the complete loss. Civil claims will have to be pressed against the driver and the company for whom he was working. Both of these courses are complicated and if complete compensation is to be had, the families need experienced help.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville automobile accident by a distracted driver at least check out our website for information about the process of pressing your claim. The best law firms offer free consultations. At Phillip Miller & Associates we offer free consultation to the victims and families of injured parties.

Tennessee Trucker Dies In Crash

According to an article in the Greeneville Sun trucker driver Carl Seaton, 76, of Greene County died from injuries received in a one vehicle tractor-trailer wreck on Tennessee Highway 81. The information in the article came from the report of the State Trooper investigating the accident and claims that 2005 Freightliner, pulling an empty trailer, veered from the highway and crashed into a ditch. The initial investigative report indicated that Mr. Seaton either fell asleep or had some sort of medical emergency. The investigation is continuing.

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.

The FHWA’s Roadway Departure Safety Program provides important information for transportation practitioners, decision makers, and others to assist them in preventing and reducing the severity of roadway departure crashes, but no matter what steps they take this problem will never be successful if drivers refuse to observe the speed limits, avoid distractions, refuse to drive when sleepy and continue to drink and drive.

The lesson here for Nashville drivers is that you must keep all of your attention on the acting of driving and avoid distractions. You never know when another driver is going to fall asleep, have a medical emergency or get distracted and leave their lane and initiate a deadly collision.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville car crash contact our experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies. If you are not sure you need a lawyer to handle your claim, at least check out our website for helpful information that will help you with this complex and confusing adventure.

The Automobile accident personal injury firm of Phillip Miller & Associates is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. 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.

Roadway Departure Crash

The Times Free-Press of Chattanooga reported that a woman was killed in an early morning crash on Highway 58. She died after the car she was driving ran off the roadway, went through a yard and crashed into some trees before catching on fire.

According to the Times, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the crash that occurred at approximately 2:36 a.m. and when they arrived the vehicle was on fire. Deputies and by-standers attempted to remove the driver but due to heavy smoke and flames, were not able to approach the car, according to Janice Atkinson, public information officer with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. The article went on to say that alcohol may be a factor in the crash, the investigation is still on-going by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Division,

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney we refer to crashes such as this as “Roadway Departure Crashes” (RDC). The Federal Highway Administration defines a RDC as a non-intersection crash that occurs when a vehicle crosses an edge line or a center-line, 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.

The FHWA’s Roadway Departure Safety Program provides important information for transportation practitioners, decision makers, and others to assist them in preventing and reducing the severity of roadway departure crashes, but no matter what steps they take this problem will never be successful if drivers refuse to observe the speed limits, avoid distractions and continue to drink and drive.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville car crash contact our experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies. If you are not sure you need a lawyer to handle your claim, at least check out our website for helpful information that will help you with this complex and confusing adventure.