Tennessee Teen Fatality

Under age and want to drink and get behind the wheel? Think again, and if you can’t think again pay attention to the arrest of a 16-year-old Hendersonville teen has been charged with vehicular homicide after being under the influence of drugs or alcohol when he crashed, causing the death of his friend.

From Middle Tennessee media reports we learn that the indictment followed a long investigation of the October 25 wreck. Apparently, the police attempted to contact the teen to tell him of the indictment but they were unable to do so. The teen was arrested at school. Vehicular homicide while under the influence is a class B felony.

Among experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorneys, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA), the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 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.

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.

As an experienced Tennessee car accident lawyer if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. When you are behind the wheel of a three thousand pound vehicle driving along the highways and byways of Tennessee, you have to avoid distractions and pay attention to what is going on around you. The website www.timesnews.net the internet arm of the Kingsport Tennessee Times News reported on a two truck collision which left the driver of one vehicle dean and two others injured.

A Jonesborough man driving a Ford F-250 pickup truck on a two-lane highway in rural Washington County Tennessee at approximately 9:30 PM crossed the double yellow line and side swiped an oncoming pickup truck. The second truck swerved into the south-bound lane and swiped a utility pole before coming to a stop in the other lane. The driver of that vehicle and his 80 year-old mother were injured and taken to the Johnson City Medical Center where they were treated. The Jonesborough man trashed into a large tree and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not wearing his seatbelt.

Since the Jonesborough man was killed in this pickup truck collision we will probably never know what it was that had him so distracted that he drifted over into an oncoming truck. Whatever the distraction it couldn’t have been important enough that he would have given his life for it, not to mention nearly taking the lives of two other innocent victims. The distraction could be something as simple as lighting a cigarette, making a cell phone call or just simply not his mind on his driving. Pay attention, your life and the lives of others are precious.

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