Tractor-trailer accidents are on the rise — up 10% from last year. Despite the increase in deadly crashes (there were 4,657 fatal truck accidents in the last stat year) the federal government is moving to relax safety regulations and delay the implementation of other new safety regulations. One key safety provision at risk could result in our roadways becoming a lot more dangerous. Continue reading
For most Americans, the 4th of July means a day off from work filled with cookouts, the pool or lake, family, friends and fireworks. Unfortunately, it also means the day with the highest number of fatal roadway accidents. Yes, the 4th of July is deadlier than New Year’s Day or any other holiday. If you plan to be on the roadways this 4th of July, please follow these five important safety tips: Continue reading
You probably have seen them – the bumper stickers, sometimes profanity-laced, urging drivers to put down the dang phone and drive. On July 1st, if you don’t put down the dang or %#@$ phone, you could be talking to a police officer. Continue reading
We love being on the water. On a typical weekend morning, John is on his jet ski at sunrise ready to cruise every nook and cranny of Tims Ford Lake. The day continues with several boat rides during the day, maybe pulling a knee boarder or a skier, and we usually wrap up with a short evening cruise after dinner. And while we love the water, we also respect it. Joy’s grandfather drowned in a boating accident and every year Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has to deal with accidents and tragedies. In fact, over Memorial Day weekend, TWRA made 21 boating under the influence arrests, worked five injury accidents and six property damage accidents, and two teens have already drowned on Middle Tennessee lakes this summer. Here are the top 5 things you should and should not do while on the water.
June 17th is the 28th Annual National Ride to Work Day. Bicyclists, scooter riders and motorcyclists are encouraged to ride to work to help raise awareness about all the positive aspects of two-wheel transportation such as the health benefits (at least for bicyclists) fewer emissions, less space needed on roadway and for parking, etc.
Unfortunately though, commuters on two wheels face greater dangers than those in cars and trucks because they are not as protected in the event of a crash. In 2017, more than 5,000 motorcyclists were killed and over 700 bicyclists. As a car or truck driver, do you know your obligations to bicyclists, motorcyclists and scooter riders on Tennessee roadways? Continue reading
In a recent blog post, Seth Godin wrote: “Accountability is done to you by the industrial system, by those that want to create blame. Responsibility is done by you. It’s voluntary. You can take as much of it as you want.” Seth Godin is a marketing guru and I enjoy his blog. As it relates to the legal field and the work of the lawyers at the Law Offices of John Day, I would change this post slightly: Accountability is done to you; when you do not take responsibility. Here is why I say that. Continue reading
We are now officially in the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. Teen accidents spike during the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day for a number of reasons. One reason is that teens are on the road more because school is not in session. Aside from sending kids to school all year long (an idea likely to cause a revolution), not much can be done about this factor. But, there are other things you can do to reduce the risk to your teen driver. Below are five critical steps parents can take to reduce the chances that your teen will be involved in an accident. Continue reading
This was essentially the headline of a recent New York Times article. As a 19-year-old, the subject of the article had flown into a rage and killed a man who had picked him up the week before as a hitch hiker. While in prison, he spent hundreds of hours learning the law and, after being released on parole, was accepted to law school at Tulane University, where he was met with, perhaps not surprisingly, mixed reactions. Even if he graduates from Tulane, the question remains as to whether he will ever be allowed to sit for the bar exam due to the character and fitness requirement of that exam.
Of course, we do not know, and probably don’t care to know, the complete and entire life story of most people we hire from our plumber to our doctor to our lawyer, but there are some things you should know when hiring a lawyer. Read on for 5 essential questions you should ask: Continue reading
An underride accident is when a car, SUV or passenger truck goes underneath a tractor-trailer. Underrides typically occur from the rear or the side. Regardless of the type, the key parts of the vehicle that are designed to prevent intrusion into the occupant compartment like the bumper, frame and pillars are either not engaged at all or only partially engaged. So underride accidents typically have a tremendous amount of intrusion into the occupant compartment and then, not surprisingly, a high rate of fatalities. These underride accidents kill on average about 219 people a year, but many experts believe that number is low due to underreporting and, although there are ways to prevent these types of accidents, not enough has been done. But, that might change with a new bill. Continue reading
Did you know your risk of being involved in a fatal car or truck accident increases by roughly 127% during light precipitation? In a heavy rain or snow storm, the odds of being in a fatal car or truck crash surges to an increase of 246%. And, the most dangerous time of day to be caught in a rain or snow storm: morning rush hour.
These alarming stats were published in a recent University of North Carolina report. The report goes on to predict that, with climate change, we can expect the frequency and severity of storms to increase. And in Middle Tennessee, spring already tends to bring heavy rains like it did this weekend. To stay safe, we recommend the following tips:
1. Leave yourself enough time to get to your destination. One has to wonder if morning rush hour is the most dangerous time because folks are in a hurry to get to work so they are not late. While everyone wants to get home from work as early as they can, the same “being late” anxiety is not usually present and so people do not feel the need to push the limits with their driving. So if you think the weather could be bad, leave a little earlier so that you can slow down and be extra cautious.
Tennessee Injury Law Center