Seat Belts Save Lives

According to police reports, a 62-year-old Sevierville man would be alive today following a one-car accident on Goose Gap Road, if he had been wearing his seatbelt. Local media reports, quoting a TSP accident report said the man was driving a 1975 Corvette northbound on Goose Gap Road just before noon when he lost control of the vehicle and went up an embankment and overturned.

It’s really a simple concept that takes only a second or two to complete, but failure to exercise it can lead to catastrophic results. The use of seat belts is required by Tennessee law.  Seat belts can, and often do, help save you and your passengers’ lives in the event of a traffic crash.

Another issue is what caused the man to loose control. Many cases like this are caused by excessive speed. We will have to wait on the final TSP report for the answer to this question.

For more information about highway safety and some good accident prevention tips go to my website at www.seriousinjury.com.  If you need further information and or the advice of a group of experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyers call Phillip Miller & Associates for the answers.

Teen Drivers

A 16-year-old Newport, Tennessee teen pickup driver was injured and his passenger was killed Tuesday afternoon when they slammed into a tractor-trailer in Jefferson County.

The tractor-trailer was making a left turn onto Highway 25/70, when the pickup hit it. A 65-year-old passenger in the pickup was killed and the driver injured. Local media reports quote the investigating Trooper as saying that the pickup driver and the passenger  were drinking, using drugs and driving and that neither he, nor the deceased were wearing their seat belts, and that had they been using them, the outcome would have been different.

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.

A recent report estimated that seat belts are preventing 15,700 fatalities, 350,000 serious injuries, and in excess of $67 billion in economic losses related to traffic injuries and deaths every year. I have repeatedly said, over the years, that seat belts are absolutely unless drivers and passengers take a few seconds to use them.

The lesson for Tennessee drivers is to stop before you turn the ignition key and make sure that you and your passengers are buckled up. The lesson for state highway safety authorities is that education and enforcement work and save lives. If each one of us would stay alert and endeavor to create a culture of safety we can reduce traffic fatalities.

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

Winter Weather Creates Dangers

According to local media reports one person died, another was injured and a third person escaped injury when a pickup truck and an empty livestock tractor-trailer rig collided nearly head-on this past Tuesday near the Grassy Cove community near Crossville, Tennessee.

A 31-year-old Evensville man died at the scene. His 34-year-old wife was transported by ambulance to Cumberland Medical Center with what is believed to be non-life threatening injuries. The 52-year-old truck driver was uninjured.

The media reports went on to say that the 1998 Freightliner was heading south on State Hwy. 68, a curvy, rain and snow-slick road with a downhill grade. The deceased man was driving a 1995 Ford F150 pickup north, when he lost control in a curve, and slid across the center line and into the path of the on-coming semi-truck. The pickup was knocked backwards and off the road where it slammed into a small tree.

The wife, who was wearing a seat belt, was not seriously hurt, her husband was not and had to be extricated from the wreckage. The truck driver was also wearing his seat belt. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this unfortunate man.

The lesson here for Tennessee drivers is that Tennessee law requires the use of seat belts. An overwhelming number of studies show that seat belts, when used correctly, save lives. According to NHTSA, when worn correctly, seat belts have been proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent, and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motor vehicle accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and learn about your rights and remedies.

Speed No Seat Belts = Two Dead

A 27-year-old Maryville, Tennessee woman and her 32-year-old male passenger were killed a wreck on US Hwy 129, after the woman lost control of her car and spun into an empty building.

Witnesses told police she was traveling a high rate of speed when she tried negotiating a curve just past Murphy Rd. Her 1998 Lincoln Town Car started to skid and collided with the building. Another passenger was injured.

Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. Couple speeding with not wearing a seat belt and you have a dangerous mix of errors.

The use of seat belts are required by Tennessee law. Seat belts and child safety seats help prevent injury five different ways, by:

1. Preventing ejection: 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.

2. Shifting crash forces to the strongest parts of the body’s structure.  To get the most benefit from a seat belt, be aware of the following points:

• The lap belt should be worn low over the pelvis with the bottom edge touching the tops of the thighs snugly.

• The shoulder belt should be worn over the shoulder and across the chest, not under the arm and over the abdomen.  Make certain that the shoulder belt is not worn so loosely that it slides off the shoulder.

• Pregnant women should wear the lap belt below the abdomen and the shoulder belt above the belly.

3. Spreading crash forces over a wide area of the body.  Safety belts reduce the possibility of injury from “hostile” surfaces inside the car (steering wheel, dashboard, windshield, controls, etc.).  Even if the belted driver collides with some of these surfaces, it happens with much less force and often results in less serious injury.

4. Keeping the body more closely in the “proper driving posture.” The belt keeps the driver “in the driver’s seat.”  The belted driver is better able to deal with emergencies and often avoids more serious trouble.

5. Protecting the head and spinal cord. The belted driver is less likely to be stunned or made unconscious by the crash and is better able to cope with the situation. Research has found that proper use of lap/shoulder belts reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent and the risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50 percent (for occupants of light trucks, 60 percent and 65 percent respectively)

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a speeding driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies at no charge. Call 615-356-2000.

Click It Or Ticket

According to a press release by the Tennessee Department of Safety State and local officials are going to be stepping up seat belt enforcement in East Tennessee rural areas, as part of the Click It or Ticket initiative, the campaign will target motorists not buckling up.

Rural law enforcement agencies joining the effort include the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson City Police Department, Dandridge Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, Alcoa Police Department, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Oak Ridge Police Department, Norris Police Department, Wartburg Police Department, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Sweetwater Police Department and Tellico Plains Police Department.

Officials said lack of seat belt use is a major factor for traffic deaths in rural areas. Rural secondary roads here throughout Tennessee are very unforgiving. If you are distracted or driving too fast it takes only a second or two and you are face to face with a tree, a whole bunch of trees or a ditch. Rural roads are hazardous, they are narrow, windy and for the most part, without a shoulder.

In 2006, there were 38,588 fatal crashes resulting in 42,642 deaths. Rural areas accounted for 55 percent of the fatal crashes and 56 percent of the fatalities. Urban areas accounted for 45 percent of the fatal crashes and 44 percent of the fatalities.

According to the 2006 Census, 23 percent of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, however, rural fatalities accounted for 56 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2006. From 1997 to 2006, rural fatalities decreased 7 percent whereas urban fatalities increased by 9 percent.

A drive through this beautiful area on a sunny day with the top down is one of life’s little pleasures but one thing you will notice is at just about every sharp turn there are crosses and other memorials to people who didn’t make the turn and didn’t make it home.

The lesson here is that no matter where you are, the interstate highway or the rural roads that wind through this beautiful state of ours, you have to be alert and mindful of your task. If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee car crash, whether on a highway or a byway, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates and let us help you recover damages for your injuries and loss.

Seat Belts Save Lives

A 49-year-old Sweetwater woman died early today when the car she was riding in left the roadway, flipped several times in a ditch. Neither the deceased nor the backseat passenger was wearing their seat belts and police investigators say that had the woman been wearing hers she might have survived the crash.

Investigators will also be looking to see what caused the driver to run off of the road. Since the accident happened at 12:30 AM, as an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I would look to see if alcohol was involved. Investigators will question the driver as to whether he might have fallen asleep or was somehow distracted by an electronic device or his passengers.

Seat belts save lives and it only takes a few seconds to secure your self in the vehicle. Restraint use is clearly designed to reduce injury severity and prevent occupants from being ejected from their vehicles. Tennessee law requires the use of seat belts. An overwhelming number of studies show that seat belts, when used correctly, save lives.

We need, all of us, to take a second or two and buckle our seat belts and stay alive. If you wish to learn about this or other highway safety tips and suggestions visit the web site of the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates.

Practice Airbag Safety

Air bags must inflate very rapidly to be effective, and therefore come out of the steering wheel hub or instrument panel with considerable force, generally at a speed over 100 mph. Because of this initial force, contact with a deploying air bag may cause injury. These air bag contact injuries, when they occur, are typically very minor abrasions or burns.

More serious injuries are rare; however, serious or even fatal injuries can occur when someone is very close to, or in direct contact with an air bag module when the air bag deploys. Airbag injuries may be sustained by unconscious drivers who are slumped over the steering wheel, unrestrained or improperly restrained occupants who slide forward in the seat during pre-crash braking, and even properly restrained drivers who sit very close to the steering wheel. Never attach objects to an air bag module or place loose objects on or near an air bag module, since they can be propelled with great force by a deploying air bag, potentially causing serious injuries.

An unrestrained or improperly restrained occupant can be seriously injured or killed by a deploying air bag. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends drivers sit with at least 10 inches between the center of their breastbone and the center of the steering wheel.

Children 12 and under should always ride properly restrained in a rear seat. Never put a rear-facing infant restraint in the front seat of a vehicle with a front passenger air bag. A rear-facing infant restraint places an infant’s head close to the air bag module, which can cause severe head injuries or death if the air bag deploys.

For this and other important Tennessee highway safety tips visit the website of the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates. Call 615-356-2000.

Dangerous Vehicle

I have been following a horrific interstate accident that took the life of a young woman and seriously injured several others on I-40 West of Nashville. The accident draws attention to the dangers of 15 passenger vans like those used by churches, day care centers, colleges and universities.

In recent warnings issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the NHTSA said that it is directing the advisory to church groups, other non-profit organizations and colleges that may be keeping older 15-passenger vans in service longer than usual because of tight transportation budgets.

Pre-primary, primary and secondary schools should not use 15-passenger vans for transporting school children, as they do not provide the same level of safety as school buses. It is also against federal law for schools to buy new 15-passenger vans for school transportation purposes.

Here are some safety tips for anyone planning a trip in 15-passenger vans:

* If you are an owner, make sure the vehicle is properly maintained.

* Owners should make sure drivers are fully trained and experienced in operating a 15-passenger van and are properly licensed.

* 15-passenger vans are very sensitive to loading and should not be overloaded under any circumstances. Agency research shows overloading not only increases rollover risk but makes the vehicle more unstable in any handling maneuvers.

* Owners should make sure that properly sized tires are being used on their vehicles.

* Before every trip, drivers should check the tires for proper inflation, and make sure there are no signs of wear. Correct tire size and inflation pressure information can be found in the owner’s manual.

* If you are a passenger, make sure you buckle up for every trip.

The driver of the van in question was a 24-year-old church member who, according to local media reports fell asleep while driving. The deceased child was not wearing a seat belt.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in an accident caused by a 15 passenger van, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates. Call 615-356-2000

Seat Belts Save Lives

It seems to this experienced Tennessee auto accident lawyer that we are having an epidemic of one-car roadway departure crashes here in Tennessee this summer. I blogged several times this past week about these dangerous crashes.

Jackson Tennessee police are investigating another fatal one-car crash that took the life of a 22-year-old woman. According to police and local media reports the crash happened about 2:15 a.m. in the 100 block of Berry Street.

The facts are similar to all of the others, her car left the roadway, the SUV overturned in the ditch and she was ejected and died. She was not wearing her seat belt. It only takes a few seconds to buckle up, avoid a ticket and possibly save your life. Yet many, like this young woman, still fail to take the time.

Tennessee law requires the use of seat belts. An overwhelming number of studies show that seat belts, when used correctly, save lives. We need, all of us, to take a second or two and buckle our seat belts and stay alive. If you wish to learn about this or other highway safety tips and suggestions visit the web site of the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates. Call 615-356-2000.

Intersection Accident

Whenever an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer reads about an accident in which a driver or passenger is ejected from the vehicle, the first thought is that the person had not taken time to fasten their seat belt.

That seems to be the case in an accident in Clarksville, Tennessee the other day. According to local media sources two drivers were injured in a wreck at the intersection of 101st Airborne Division Parkway and Parkway Place.

A 23-year-old man was driving a camouflaged Dodge pickup truck and he turned directly into the path of an oncoming BMW that had the right-of-way. The Beemer T-boned the pickup and the pickup driver was ejected as a result of the crash and not wearing his seat belt. Luckily, neither man was killed. The pickup driver suffered head trauma and is in stable condition.

It’s really a simple concept that takes only a second or two to complete, but failure to exercise it can lead to catastrophic results. The use of seat belts are required by Tennessee law.  Seat belts can, and often do, help save you and your passengers’ lives in the event of a traffic crash.

For more information about Tennessee highway safety and some good accident prevention tips go to my website at www.seriousinjury.com.  If you need further information and or the advice of a group of experienced Tennessee automobile accident lawyers call Phillip Miller & Associates for the answers.