Labor Day is typically viewed as summer’s last hurrah. To celebrate the holiday weekend this year, 42.9 million people are expected to take a road trip. So maybe it is not surprising that Labor Day is the second deadliest holiday weekend in the United States. Read on to find out what day and time-period of the holiday weekend is the most dangerous to drive and tips on how to stay safe. Continue reading
Tomorrow is the first full day of classes for Metro Nashville schools. Williamson County and Rutherford County schools are already in full swing, and a host of private schools start classes next week. But, judging by recent statistics, drivers are the ones who need to go back to school. For example, in some areas, tickets issued for speeding in excess of 100 mph have more than doubled since the start of the pandemic. With more children in and around the roads, we all need to evaluate our driving practices. Here is what you can do to help: Continue reading
In Tennessee, for every 100,000 drivers, 10.19 engage in street or drag racing, and street racing is on the rise. In some areas of our State, police calls about street racing have more than doubled in two years. For example, in Memphis, in 2018, there were 843 calls about drag racing in 2018. In 2020, reported incidences of drag racing had jumped to 1,973. The Tennessee Legislature has recently enacted new legislation to combat this dangerous practice and we have some tips on what you can do. Continue reading
If you are operating your car, truck or SUV using technology that both helps you stay in your lane and adaptive cruise control or other Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), then a recent order by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) requires the vehicle’s operator and others to report certain crashes to the NHTSA. The purpose of this General Standing Order from the NHTSA is to more closely track advanced driver safety systems and the safety issues surrounding them. Read on to learn more about when the duty to report is implicated.
The bad news from 2020 does not seem to relent as evidenced by the recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) report on pedestrian and cyclist deaths. According to the NHTSA, in 2020, the United States had more pedestrian and cyclist deaths than any year since 1990. When you consider that most people drove substantially less in 2020, these numbers become even more alarming. In 2020, 6,238 pedestrians lost their lives, which equates to about 17 pedestrians per day. For bicyclists, the numbers were better but still terrible: 857 bicyclists lost their lives or roughly 2 per day. Read on to find what experts believe are the cause of the dramatic increase and what you can do to help. Continue reading
Across the country and locally in Nashville, there is important news about car accidents. First, in 2020, deaths caused by car accidents rose 7.2% despite the fact that most Americans were driving less due to the pandemic. Second, in local news, Metro Police will no longer respond to some traffic accidents. Read on for more information on both of these issues and what you should do if you are in a car accident in Metro Nashville. Continue reading
As we start to put the pandemic in our rearview mirror, travel for the holiday weekend is expected to be 60% greater than last year. According to AAA, 37 million Americans are expected to make a road trip for the holiday, and Nashville is the fifth most popular destination behind only Las Vegas, Orlando, Myrtle Beach and Denver. So whether you are staying home in Middle Tennessee or going somewhere to enjoy the holiday weekend, you can expect the roads in and around Nashville to be busy. Here are top 10 tips for staying safe and sane. Continue reading
The first awful moment is when you anticipate the accident – those seconds before the impact has happened but nothing can be done. Your heart and mind race and you brace. And then, the impact – tires squealing, horns honking, glass breaking, metal crunching, people yelling, sirens blaring and more. Unless you have been knocked unconscious, those moments after the impact are spent assessing the extent of any injuries for you and anyone with you. Other drivers rubberneck and gawk out of morbid curiosity. Medical treatment is given for the physical injuries. But for a surprising number of people, psychological injuries need treatment too. Did you know that car accidents are the leading cause of PTSD in the general population? Indeed, the numbers may surprise you. Continue reading
To understand the breadth of the current problem, let’s first look at 2020. Despite fewer people being on the road due to the pandemic, 2020 saw an 8% increase in motor vehicle accidents (car, truck, motorcycles and buses). That 8% increase was the highest year-to-year jump in 96 years. But, it gets worse. In Tennessee, fatal accidents are up by an astonishing 21.5% for the first quarter of 2021. 356 fatal accidents have occurred on Tennessee roadways so far this year. At this time last year, there were only 209 according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. For more information on where these wrecks are happening and what age groups and types of vehicles are most involved, read on. Continue reading
At this point, I wonder if anyone really does not know that distracted driving is dangerous. The media has covered it, public service announcements have been done, police departments have increased enforcement, our State legislature has passed stricter laws about it. Yet, distracted driving continues to be on the rise. For some of us, we just can’t seem to give driving our full time and attention despite knowing the dangers. In fact, according to one study, Tennesseans are the worst in the nation when it comes to distracted driving with distracted driving in our State being five times the national average. Read on for more stats and what you can do to protect yourself from distracted driving. Continue reading
Tennessee Injury Law Center