Teen Fatality

A 19-year-old Monroe County teen, a passenger in a vehicle driven by a friend was killed in an early morning roadway departure crash. According to local media reports the Toyota he was riding in was heading east when it went off the right side of the road and struck a tree. My prayers go out to the family and friends of this young man.

An important point to note is that neither man was wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident. Because of the time, 4:30 AM and the circumstances of the crash tests are being done to see if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes.

Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Wrecked Tennessee State Trooper Car

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I can state, with some authority, that it is not smart to run a stop sign and it is downright unlucky when you do run one to slam into a Tennessee State Trooper.

This sign is the only eight-sided sign on the highway. It always means that there is danger. It will always be red with white lettering. It tells you that you are approaching an important street or highway and that you must bring your car to a complete stop, not going beyond the crosswalk. IF you cannot see, then proceed cautiously to a point where you can see, and then go only if you can do so safely.

Just what it was that distracted the 19-year-old teen driver from Coryton, Tennessee, is not yet known, but she is lucky, very lucky, that she did not pay for her failure to stop with her life. According to local media reports the young woman ran a stop sign and slammed into a Tennessee State Trooper. Luckily he was not seriously injured. She was cited for failure to yield and right of way.

Nationwide, more crashes happen at intersections than at any other place. Intersections constitute a very small part of rural and urban street/highway systems, yet they are implicated in 31.9 percent of all motor vehicle crashes and 15.5 percent of all fatal crashes

When you hire an attorney from Phillip Miller & Associates, you’re getting the whole package.  You don’t just get an extremely qualified and dedicated lawyer, you also get a loyal Tennessee resident who cares about the quality of life in their community and who puts their time and money into standing up for causes and charities they believe in.  You can read about some of the causes we support on our home page, along with a summary of our professional qualifications.  Additional details about our attorneys and staff can be found by viewing our personal profiles, where you can get to know the men and women who will be looking out for your best interest.

Please contact Phillip Miller & Associates today and take your first step forward towards putting the frustration and horror of your auto accident experience behind you.

Roadway Departure Crash

A 19-year-old Tennessee teen driver was killed in a collision involving two cars on Tenn. 105 in Gibson County.  The teen was driving westbound through a curve, when his Chevrolet S10 pickup left the road and he overcorrected sending the truck into the oncoming lane where he was hit by a Chevy Blazer driven by a 48-year-old Paris, Tennessee man.

The Paris man was injured and transported to a nearby hospital, the extent of his injuries is unknown at this time. To this experienced Nashville auto accident attorney it appears that one of two things caused this crash, speed and/or distractions.

Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. The lesson of this incident for all Nashville drivers is obvious, respect the streets and the other drivers. Speeding is a dangerous game and can end in death for the speeder, the driver and passengers of the other vehicles and for innocent pedestrians

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.

Teach Your Children Well

When I read about a teen driver injured in a late night, one-car crash, my first thought is why was she out driving without an adult so late at night.  Local media reports tell say that Greeneville, Tennessee teen was injured Tuesday when her car left North Roan Street near Science Hill High School and struck a pole and a tree. The 16-year-old was traveling south on North Roan Street when her 2009 Honda Civic Del Sol hit a sidewalk and flipped down an embankment.

The girl had to be extricated from the car, and she was taken by Emergency Medical Services to Johnson City Medical Center, where she was listed in stable condition Wednesday.

Tennessee was one of the first states to pass a graduated drivers license law. To get your license:

* You must be at least age 16

* You must have had your learner permit for 180 days

* A parent or legal guardian must submit a completed Certification of 50 Hours Behind the Wheel Experience

* You must pass a driving skills (on-road) test before you can receive your license

* You may drive only between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or licensed driver at least age 21

* You must not have more than one person in your vehicle with you, unless accompanied by a licensed driver at least age 21

* Seatbelts are mandatory, and children age three or younger must be child restraining devices

Note that you must have your intermediate restricted license for one year before you can apply for your intermediate unrestricted license. Your intermediate restricted license will be extended for 90 days if you accumulate six or more points or are found to be at fault for a motor vehicle accident.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer I have seen far too many teen deaths and I strongly encourage parents to be realistic about the skills and propensities of their children. It’s a time of excitement and dread for every parent, the time when their precious little Bobby or Betty reaches the age when they can drive.

Excitement because their child is growing up and the parents can relinquish to job of being the chauffeur for their busy teens and dread because the know in their heart of hearts the dangers that teen drivers face as they take to the highways and byways.

In addition to laws, safety experts agree that parents play a key role in helping teens become good drivers. Parents should not rely solely on drivers education classes to teach good driving habits and should restrict night driving, restrict the numbers of passengers riding with their teen, supervise practice driving, always require use of seat belts and choose vehicles for safety, not image. Parents can also set a good example by practicing safe driving techniques themselves.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Photo courtesy AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Tennessee Teen Driver

Under the Tennessee Graduated Drivers License law a fifteen year old can get a Learner Permit but driving is restricted. Anyone under the age of 18 who has a learner permit will be prohibited from driving between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. When driving, permit holders must have a licensed driver age 21 or older in the vehicle with them. Seatbelt use is mandatory for everyone in the vehicle under the age of 18 (passengers age 3 and under must be in an approved child restraint device).

The parents of a 15-year-old Cookeville Tennessee teen are in some serious trouble. The Teen driver faces charges of driving without a permit and failure to have insurance after she dropped of several children at Avery Trace Middle School, and struck a school crossing guard.

The 55-year-old guard was transported to a local hospital and local media reports say her injuries are minor. Is situation creates an interesting set of circumstances that require to assistance of an experienced Tennessee personal injury attorney.

The first thing that I would focus on would be the claim of the Guard for benefits under the Tennessee Workers Compensation law. There is no cause of action against the juvenile driver but there is a strong cause of action against the parents or owner of the vehicle she was driving if they are not the same.

If you or a loved one are injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by an under aged teen der a number of legal issues come in to play and the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates can help you sort them out so that you can obtain the very best result to cover your damages. Call 615-356-2000

ATV Fatality

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I try to keep abreast of all things related to highway safety. A recent ATV accident reported in local east Tennessee media about an 18-year-old teen driver who lost control and went down an embankment and was ejected. He was not wearing his safety helmet and was dead at the scene.

Recent studies show that ATV related fatalities increased nearly 60% between 2000 and 2009, while during the same period non-fatal injuries rose 48%. A litany of serious injuries such and traumatic head injuries, spinal injuries, and leg, toe and hand amputations, result from ATV crashes.

Some highway traffic safety professionals believe that multi-rider ATV accident victims were more than 10 times as likely to require an amputation as riders involved in an accident with a conventional single-rider ATV. If you would like to find out more about ATV safety you can go to my website at www.seriousinjury.com or you can check out http://www.atvsafetynet.org/.

Speed Kills

A Jackson, Tennessee teen driver faces charges of vehicular homicide, aggravated assault with a vehicle and reckless driving in the single-car crash early Sunday morning that killed one passenger. The 19-year-old was driving his 2007 Honda Accord at speed in excess of 80 mph on the US Highway 45 Bypass when he lost control, left the rod and crashed into a cement manhole and a utility pole.

The front seat passenger died at the scene and the driver and another man were transported to a local hospital. Police found a loaded pistol and marijuana inside the car.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. In 2008, about 3,500 teens in the United States aged 15–19 were killed and  more than 350,000 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in motor-vehicle crashes.

Young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.

Please Pay Attention

Three Ohio motorcyclists were injured in multi-vehicle accident on the Alcoa Highway. It appears that the Ohio men slowed for traffic, the car behind them also slowed, unfortunately a teen driver following that car wasn’t paying attention and slammed into that car and that car slammed into the three motorcycles.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney, I’d bet that the teen was distracted, probably by using her cell phone, hopefully not texting.

Texting Can be Dangerous to Your Health

On July 2009 the newly enacted law prohibiting texting while driving a motor vehicle took effect. Enforcement of this law might prove to be a difficult task and I encourage each and every one of you to do your part and report any violations you might witness. An officer may not be able to issue a citation because of your call but it might be an opportunity for the offending motorist to get the message that texting while driving is not only dangerous but your call just might save another’s life. As an experienced Nashville car accident lawyer , saving lives is our paramount goal.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a Nashville motorcycle accident or auto accident as a result of distracted driving or other negligent driving?  If so, you should call the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates, a Nashville motorcycle accident lawyer from our law firm will fight to help you win. We will treat you with the utmost compassion and respect. Call us today and speak with an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer to discuss the details of your case. Call (615) 356-2000.

Distracted Teen Drivers

A 19-year-old man was killed Tuesday when his pickup truck ran into the back of another vehicle near Milan in Carroll County Tennessee. The teen driver died Tuesday after his Dodge Dakota struck the back of a Chevy pickup driven by a 38-year-old local man, according to Tennessee Highway Patrol and local media reports.

The reports indicate that both trucks were traveling west when the accident occurred. The Dodge went off the road and into a ravine, hitting the embankment. I wasn’t able to determine from the reports whether the deceased was wearing his seat belt.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident attorney it appears to me, from the reports of this accident that the deceased teen driver was somehow distracted as he drove along the highway. What other explanation would one have?

Since distraction is the number one caused of serious accidents, and cell phone use is the number one distracting action, I am sure that the first place the police investigators will look is to the young man’s cell phone records to determine whether he was using the phone at the time of the accident.

If you or a loved one are involved in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a distracted driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies

Distracted Teen Driver

It is generally agreed that teen drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group. Per mile, the crash rate for 16 year-old drivers is 10 times the rate for drivers between 30 and 59. The basic reasons behind this statistic are obvious, teen drivers have no experience with the myriad issues faced by drivers with experience, furthermore, they are immature and often takes risks, most often speeding, and are easily distracted which contribute to the increased death rate.

A good example of what I’m saying is a recent case in Clarksville, Tennessee in which a teen driver failed to yield to an oncoming police car and turned right into it. One has to ask, what was this teen driver doing that caused her to take a blind eye to a well-marked police car? With teen girls, my first thought is that she was texting or using her cell phone. Other distractions for young women include, applying make-up and just not paying attention to her surroundings, known as cognitive disassociation.

As an experienced Nashville automobile accident lawyer, I have seen far too many teen deaths and I strongly encourage parents to be realistic about the skills and propensities of their children. It’s a time of excitement and dread for every parent, the time when their precious little Bobby or Betty reaches the age when they can drive.

In addition to graduated drivers license laws, safety experts agree that parents play a key role in helping teens become good drivers. Parents should not rely solely on drivers education classes to teach good driving habits and should restrict night driving, restrict the numbers of passengers riding with their teen, supervise practice driving, always require use of seat belts and choose vehicles for safety, not image. Parents can also set a good example by practicing safe driving techniques themselves.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a teen driver contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies.