Automobile Accidents

July 10, 2016

100 Deadliest Days Could Be Even Deadlier This Year

The good news: the economy continues to improve and gas remains cheap. The bad news: this could mean more traffic deaths especially during the 100 Deadliest Days. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, last year traffic fatalities rose 7.7% to 35,200 — the highest since 2008. Many experts attribute the increase in accidents and fatalities to an improved economy combined with low gas prices as these lead to more drivers out on the road for reasons other than the daily commute. And with more drivers on the roads for weekend plans, vacations and the like, there is simply an increased likelihood for accidents. Continue reading

June 2, 2016

Eleven Safety Tips for Parents of Teenaged Drivers

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

The 100 days after Memorial Day are generally regarded as the most dangerous for teenage drivers. It makes sense, right? Kids are not in school so they are running the roads – headed to the mall, the pool, a friend’s house, etc. Did you know that teenagers are four times as likely to be in a crash than an adult? Six teenagers (ages 16-19) will die everyday in car accidents and nearly a quarter million teenagers will need emergency medical treatment because of car accidents. These statistics are terrifying but here are 10 things you can do to help keep your teenage driver safe: Continue reading

May 26, 2016

Ten Memorial Day Weekend Safety Tips and One Heartfelt Thank You.

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

Memorial Day is a day to remember and be grateful for those brave men and women who have died while serving our country in the military. It is also the unofficial start of summer. Beach trips, parades, lake outings, pool parties and barbecues are on a lot of folks’ agenda. Here are ten safety tips to help keep your weekend fun and injury-free: Continue reading

May 10, 2016

Ten Tips To Help Avoid Pedestrian Accidents

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security statistics, there were 1,579 pedestrian accidents last year. But, there were actually many more because the State’s statistics do not include pedestrian accidents that occurred on private property, which means parking lots (where lots of pedestrian accidents occur because of the unavoidable interaction between cars and pedestrians). For the first quarter of this year, there have already been 378 pedestrian accidents, so we thought we would share some tips to help avoid being a pedestrian accident statistic: Continue reading

April 25, 2016

A Driving Safety Tip You May Not Know

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

The summer driving season is just around the corner. Time for vacations, trips to summer camp and the like. Gas prices are expected to remain low. In fact, the federal government is expecting gas to be at its lowest since the summer of 2004. So, the roadways will likely be busy and, unfortunately, dangerous. Here are a few tips for making sure you and your family stay safe including one you might not know.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security offers licensed Tennessee drivers the ability to add emergency contacts to their driver’s license online. So, if you are involved in an accident, emergency workers can quickly contact your spouse, parents, legal representative, etc. If you are unconscious, this could save valuable time in a medical emergency as your contact could provide medical history, information on any medications you are taking, etc. In addition, not only will your loved ones be alerted to the emergency quicker but they can begin helping quicker. For instance, maybe at the time of the accident you were on your way to pick up your daughter from school, if your spouse is quickly alerted to the accident, he could get someone to your daughter promptly. The process is simple. Just go to www.dl.safety.tn.gov. The 7^th star on the page is a link for Manage Emergency Contacts. Click it, fill out the requested information and hit submit. Now, your emergency contacts are linked to your driver’s license number.
Register your vehicle and your tires with the manufacturer so that you are kept updated on any recalls. Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration oversaw a record number of recalls. If your vehicle and tires are not registered, the manufacturer cannot notify you directly. Vehicles and tires are only recalled if there is a safety defect or if they fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. So, recalls are serious business. At www.nhtsa.gov, you can search to see if there are any recalls affecting your vehicle, tires, child safety seats, etc. You can also sign up for safety alerts.

April 18, 2016

Fundamentals Win Games and Lawsuits

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

Almost any coach will tell you that fundamentals win games. While lawsuits are definitely not a game, they are about winning. So just as a good baseball coach will instruct you to field a grounder with your glove on the ground and your bare hand above the glove, we want to tell you four fundamentals you can do to help win your lawsuit. Continue reading

April 11, 2016

Pedestrian Accidents Are on the Rise in Middle Tennessee

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

At The Law Offices of John Day, P.C., we are definitely seeing more accidents involving pedestrians but we are not relying on just our own anecdotal evidence for this post. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is projecting, once all the data is in, that 2015 will have the largest year-to-year increase in pedestrian fatalities since national records have been kept. Pedestrians now account for about 15% of all motor vehicle crash-related deaths. So what is to blame for the national increase and what are the statistics for pedestrian accidents in Middle Tennessee? Continue reading

March 30, 2016

Unbelizable Facts About Driving in Belize

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

Over Spring Break, we were blessed to get to vacation in Belize. On our last day of vacation, we took a catamaran to Caye Caulker. While walking through the village, we noticed the island’s traffic laws posted on the wall. While Title 55 of the Tennessee Code dealing with motor and other vehicles has 53 Chapters, Caye Caulker on the other hand has a very limited set of regulations. Beyond requiring a license, registration and insurance, drivers are prohibited from driving on the airstrip runway, the beach, the football field and any unauthorized piers. The Tennessee Legislature might take a tip or two on brevity from the Caye Caulker Traffic Control Committee.

Some other interesting fact about driving in Belize: Continue reading

February 15, 2016

Trying To Be Cheap When Purchasing Insurance Could Cost You

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

Last week, a question was posted on Avvo (a legal Q & A site) seeking advice about what should be done following a car accident. The questioner was worried about getting sued, and the primary source of his anxiety was because he had substantial assets including investment accounts but he only had $100,000 in automotive insurance coverage. In particular, he wanted to know if he should hire his own lawyer separate and apart from any lawyer hired by his insurance company? Before I get to that, let me start with something more important. Continue reading

February 1, 2016

Protecting Yourself Against Defective Products

by The Law Offices of John Day, P.C.

Last year was a record year for vehicle recalls. Already this year, Ford has announced a recall of nearly 400,000 Ranger pickups due to faulty airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has just announced a recall of Britax car seats. The Consumer Product Safety Commission issues a new recall virtually every day. As a consumer, how do you know if the products you and your family use are safe? And what do you do if you get hurt by a defective product? Continue reading