Intersection Crash

More than 100,000 crashes a year are caused by drivers running red lights, killing some 950 people and injuring 90,000 others, making it a leading cause of fatal crashes in metropolitan areas, according to the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Worse, the numbers are on the rise: Fatal motor vehicle crashes at traffic signals increased 19 percent nationally between 1992 and 1998 (the last year for which FHWA had statistics); over the same period, all other types of fatal crashes increased just 6 percent. This is a situation where people are dying from something that’s 100 percent preventable.”

Reference a intersection accident in Kingsport, Tennessee, in which an SUV, traveling west on Stone Drive approaching Fairview Ave. Witnesses told police investigators, the SUV simply ran the red light and was T-boned by a vehicle with the right-of-way. Fortunately, the SUV driver suffered non-life threatening injuries.

The high fatality rate associated with red-light-running crashes is partly attributable to the fact that they are usually “T-bone,” or side-impact, crashes involving high speeds (since drivers often accelerate to get through a red light quickly). Indeed, images of vehicles broadsided at intersections often show cars cut in two or with pulverized midsections. “Of all the injuries we see, these are some of the worst,” says Harry Teter, executive director of the 2,200-member American Trauma Society. “You’re hitting the most vulnerable part of the car.”

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee red light running crash, you owe it to yourself and your family to contact an experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyer like those that you will find at Phillip Miller & Associates. Call for a free consultation so that you can learn about your rights and remedies.

Education And Enforcement Reduce Fatalities

An article on Channel 2, WKRN Nashville caught my attention this morning and I’m happy to report the news is positive. Following an interview with a Spokesperson for the Tennessee Highway Patrol Channel 2 reports that Since 2005 Tennessee roadway fatalities have decreased on a consistent basis. According to the article by last October (2008) there had been 805 fatalities on Tennessee roads and this year (2009) there has been a reduction with only 707 fatalities. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not in any way saying that 707 fatalities is a good thing, but a decrease of this size means that someone is doing something right.

I regularly advise my readers that they can do their parts by following the Rules of The Road by not speeding, tailgating, running red lights or any other thing that puts others in jeopardy. THP officials said they attribute the decrease largely in part to people paying more attention to the law. They go on to say that education and enforcement are getting the people’s attention. Recent educational programs by the State include, DUI, aggressive driving and seatbelt enforcement.

The Staff and automobile accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates encourage everyone who gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle in Tennessee to focus on the fact that you are behind the wheel of a weapon that can take your life and the lives of others and you should act accordingly.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Tennessee automobile accident contact the Nashville car accident lawyers at Philip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/

Intersections Are Dangerous

As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney I have learned that although intersections constitute a very small part of the highway and street network, still nearly half of the motor vehicle crashes occur there. Driving near and through intersections is one of the most complex conditions that drivers will encounter. Previous studies have indicated that a significant percentage of crashes involving elderly drivers seem to occur at intersections.

A recent article in the Daily Post-Athenian reported a two-vehicle accident that sent three people to the hospital. The collision occurred at an intersection just outside the Athens, Tennessee city limits. According to police a car with two occupants was struck by a tractor-trailer in the signaled intersection. My first thought is that one of the drivers had run a red light leading to the collision.

One of the primary causes of crashes at signalized intersections involves a vehicle entering an intersection when the red light signal is displayed. This type of collision occurs frequently. Clearly, red-light running, which is reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to be on the rise as with other aggressive driving behaviors such as speeding, tailgating and not stopping or even slowing at stop-controlled intersections, has become a national safety problem.

Red-light running is also a complex problem. There is no simple or single reason to explain why drivers run red lights. My experience here in Nashville is that red light runners are more likely to be younger than 30-years old, have a record of moving violations, are driving without a valid license and/or have consumed alcohol.

If you are the victim of a Nashville or Tennessee automobile accident we urge you to contact our Tennessee 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.

As an experienced Tennessee Automobile accident attorney I often find myself discussing different aspects of highway safety and the problems that drivers face and cause as they cruise the highways and byways of our fair state. One of the most important problems of our time most often confuses people. Many times I hear people mix up aggressive driving with road rage when in fact they are two very different things although they have common elements. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines road rage as “an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger of another motor vehicle precipitated by an incident that occurred on a roadway.”

Feel The Heat. One of the most important problems of our time most often confuses people. Many times I hear people mix up aggressive driving with road rage when in fact they are two very different things although they have common elements. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines road rage as “an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger of another motor vehicle precipitated by an incident that occurred on a roadway.”

Aggressive driving on the other hand includes behavior such as speeding, tailgating, running red lights or stop signs, and weaving in and out of traffic. It is estimated that aggressive driving costs the economy more than $40.4 billion a year, not to mention thousands of fatalities. We have all seen them, these aggressive drivers, they ride on people’s bumpers to force them out of the way, they weave in and out of traffic, their sense of self-importance worn on their sleeves for the world to see.

Today I’ll address the problem of aggressive driving. Aggressive driving behavior typically increases during the summer months, and the only way to put the bakes on it is to use a multi-pronged approach. Three states have been using this multi-pronged approach for several years now and have shown significant results. Maryland alone issued 205,062 tickets during the 2008 campaign, and the number of fatalities for aggressive driving was reduced. In Virginia, 98,474 tickets were issued and in Pennsylvania, 88,302. These states used technology to identify those areas where aggressive driving was a particular problem and they then enlisted the cooperation of local and county law enforcement agencies and stepped up a concerted enforcement policy that followed a creative public education program.

This summer the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is intensified its enforcement efforts aimed at aggressive drivers with the launch of the “100 Days of Summer HEAT” enforcement campaign. All summer long Troopers and local police statewide were very aggressive with speeding motorists, impaired drivers and those not buckled up properly. ”100 Days of Summer HEAT” took place June 18-20, July 2-4 and August 5-7. The THP have been compiling the results of this effort and I’ll report the findings as they are published.

If you witness aggressive driving identify the vehicle (color, make and plate number if possible) and then pull over at the next safe place and call the THP or your local police and report them. Taking a minute to make the call might mean that someone down the line will live on the make it home to see their families. If you are injured, or know someone who is, call out experienced Tennessee accident lawyers and find out about your rights and remedies.