What Casued the Distraction?

A 43-year-old Tennessee woman died yesterday morning as the result of a head-on collision with a tractor-trailer on US 41-A. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this unfortunate woman. Since she was driving alone we will probably never really know what caused her to be distracted from keeping her eyes on the road and causing her to cross the centerline and slam into an oncoming tractor-trailer.

Whenever you see an accident, usually involving one car that leaves the road, an experienced Nashville 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?

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.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a distracted driver you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

He Crossed the Centerline

Clarksville Tennessee police believe that alcohol and speed were the factors that caused a two-car head-on collision Warfield Blvd. on Friday.  The 24-year-old man driving a Chevy S-10 crossed the centerline and slammed into a vehicle carrying a 5-year-old girl.

The S-10 driver and the child were airlifted to Vanderbilt MC in critical condition and another passenger was treated at a local hospital. All three people involved were wearing seatbelts. My prayers go out to the injured, with my hopes for a speedy and complete recovery.

The S-10 driver had a previous arrest for DUI that had been reduced to reckless driving. It appears that he didn’t get the message, but since charges are pending, I think the local judge will make the consequences somewhat more dramatic.

As an experienced Tennessee car accident lawyer I want to remind you that driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. If you follow my blog you will see that in Tennessee we continue to see a tragic number of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving. This careless disregard for human life must stop.

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. Over the 2008 Labor Day holiday, 12 people were killed in 10 fatal crashes on Tennessee roadways, down from 17 people killed on Tennessee roadways in 2007.

If you are a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car accident caused by a drunk driver you owe it to yourself to contact an experienced Nashville auto accident lawyer like those at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.

Distracted Driver Takes Two Lives

Two young men, one 23 and the other 24-years-old died when their Mustang was hit head-on, on Highway 60 near the intersection of Highway 58 in Hamilton County Tennessee. The driver of the pickup truck was a teenager and it appears that he became distracted and crossed the centerline, precipitating the collision.

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.

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 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.

Distracting Devices

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney I am concerned about the roll of distracted drivers in the deadly roadway departure crashes that have become an epidemic on the roads of Tennessee.

I am also concerned about a new trend in which American automobile manufacturers are offering digital dashboard navigation systems, touch screen climate controls, hundreds of satellite radio channels and even computer devices that allow a driver to update their Facebook and Twitter pages.

Consumer Reports said this month that the touch-screen computer standard in many Ford models to control the radio, temperature and navigation was “overly complicated and distracting” and dropped its recommendation of models with it. Last fall, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood criticized General Motors’ OnStar communication system for allowing people to verbally update their Facebook or Twitter status while driving.

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 are involved in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a distracted driver you are going to need an experienced and sophisticated Nashville auto accident attorney like those you will find at Phillip Miller & Associates

Two Seconds Distraction

An accident on East Stone Dr. in Kingsport Tennessee at 8 AM the other day is a good example of can happen when a driver allows himself to become distracted. The driver was traveling along where the road crosses Reedy Creek, and for some unknown reason the SUV he was driving veered off the road, went airborne into the median and down between the bridges crossing the creek.

The Lexus SUV is a safe vehicle and the driver is lucky for that. He was transported with non-threatening injuries. Whenever you see an accident, usually involving one car that 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?

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. This accident had the potential to have taken numerous other lives but somehow that didn’t happen.

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.

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.

Teen Fatality

All of Blount County Tennessee is saddened by the loss of one of their best and brightest, a 17-year-old highly respected Greenback High School student died Jan. 21, 2011, from injuries received in a Jan. 17 single-car auto accident in Blount County.

The young man was riding with three other teammates in a 1994 GMC Suburban that crashed at 6:04 p.m. Monday on Calderwood Highway. The Suburban left the right side of the road when rounding a curve heading south on the highway. The SUV flipped and came to rest on the northbound side of the road.

The deceased was in the vehicle with three other teens when it left the road in a turn and all of the boys were ejected from the vehicle. None of the boys were wearing seat belts and the THP report said that seat belts would have made a difference in the outcome of the wreck.

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.

The lesson here for all Tennessee teen drivers is that you must avoid distractions that can cause you to take your eye off of the road for only a second and crash. The other lesson is that seat belts work. They prevent drivers and passengers from being ejected from crash vehicles.

If you or a loved one are injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accident caused by teen driver contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates.

Speed + No Seat Belt= Death

A 60-year-old Hornbeak man died Monday in a single car traffic accident in Dyer County, Tennessee. The accident is another in an epidemic of roadway departure crashes that have plagued Tennessee since the winter holiday season began.

The crash occurred on US Highway 51 about 10:30 am when the man’s 1993 Ford pickup truck veered off of the road, struck a mailbox, went up an embankment, became airborne, before going through a fence and slamming into a large tree. The driver was not wearing his seat belt.

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney my first though after reading the local media description of this action was that the man must have been driving at a high rate of speed for his vehicle to do all of the things that it did.

Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. The economic cost of speeding-related crashes is estimated to be in excess of 40.4 billion dollars per year. In 2007, speeding was a contributing factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes, and 13,040 lives were lost in speeding-related crashes. The total economic cost of crashes was estimated at $230.6 billion in 2000.

Wearing seat belts is required by Tennessee law. Seatbelts prevent ejection, and 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 in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a speeding driver you owe it to your self to contact the experienced Nashville auto accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation.

Head-On With A Tractor-Trailer

Imagine the scene, a woman is driving along the highway after taking her friend to a doctor’s appointment and for some unknown reason loses her concentration and crosses the centerline just in time to crash head-on into a tractor-trailer.

The driver is hospitalized in critical condition and her passenger was dead at the scene. My prayers go out to the family and friends of the deceased and my prayers for a speedy and complete recovery go out to 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. 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 car accident caused by a distracted driver contact the experienced Nashville auto accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation to determine the elements of your case.

Teen Driver Causes Fatal Accident

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer I can tell you that, as a driver, you can do everything right and still become involved in a terrible collision. Keeping your eyes and mind on your driving are but two legs on the milking stool. It is imperative that you keep on the look out for the other drivers that inhabit the area of danger around your vehicle.

I reference an accident that occurred just across the border from Chattanooga Tennessee in Whitfield County Georgia. A family of four are driving along, going the speed limit, wearing their seat belts when an 18-year-old driver going in the other direction for some unknown reason crossed the centerline and slammed head-on into the family’s car.

A 6-year-old in the family car died and several others were injured. Police said that all of the people involved were wearing their seatbelts and that alcohol was not a factor. If that’s the case, the question becomes, what was the 18-year-old doing that distracted him from the task at hand.

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. 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 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.

Roadway Departure Crash

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer the facts of a recent Chattanooga interstate accident are most peculiar but the police report is telling. According to local media reports following the accident the investigating police officers said that charges are pending the results of a blood test. This is a good indication that the police think alcohol or drugs were involved.

The driver was behind the wheel of a tow truck (car hauler) and traveling along in the fast lane when for some unknown reason the truck veered across the the right lane left the road went through the fence and into the parking lot of a local Health Center at Standifer Place, where it struck a power pole, three unoccupied cars and a another car entering the parking lot driven by a 45-year-old man.

The truck driver and the other driver were transported in critical condition. 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.

If you or a loved one are seriously injured or killed in a Tennessee auto accidentdrunk or drugged commercial truck driver,Tennessee auto accident caused by a time is of the essence. Contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates to protect your rights.