Insurance

April 20, 2022

April Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

The reality is that, by this point, everyone knows you should not drive distracted. So maybe it is not more awareness we need, but more action. But just like losing 10 lbs. or learning a new language, it can be difficult for some people to find the discipline to actually stop driving while distracted. In fact, Americans seem to be doing worse instead of better. Recent studies show distracted driving has actually increased nearly 30% since the start of the pandemic. So what can you do? Continue reading

February 3, 2022

Immediate U-Turn Needed According to Recent Crash Stats

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

Traffic deaths continue to surge. For the first nine months of 2021, 31,720 people lost their lives in car accidents. For reference, Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium at MTSU has a capacity of 30,778. For that same time period in 2020, deaths from car accidents increased 12% – the biggest increase over a 9 month period since the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) began keeping records in 1975. In short, people are dying on our roads in record numbers. So what is being done to reverse this trend and what can you do to protect yourself? Continue reading

January 12, 2022

Breaking News: Speed Kills (and Injures)

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

On this day in 1904, Henry Ford set a land-speed record of 91.37 miles per hour in Michigan. A lot has changed since then. Ninety-one miles per hour is hardly a record. In Nashville, you can find folks doing that speed during rush hour on Interstate 65. But like so many of our decisions and actions, drivers that speed are not just placing themselves at risk but others on the road as well. Do you know how many accidents were caused by speeding last year? More importantly, how do you keep you and your loved ones safe on the roadway? Continue reading

November 12, 2021

Deadly Car Accidents Increase Significantly in First Six Months of 2021

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

Two weeks ago, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released the statistics for fatal traffic accidents for January through June of 2021, and the numbers are depressing. More than 20,000 people lost their lives in the first half of 2021, an increase of 18.4%. Of course, 2020 saw major changes in driving behaviors, but the jump can’t simply be chalked up to the decrease in driving in 2020. Why? Because the first half of 2021 is the largest number of fatalities from January to June since 2006. The NHTSA has also reached some conclusions as to what is causing so many car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian accidents and what drivers can do to protect themselves and others on the road. Continue reading

November 3, 2021

National Use Your Common Sense Day

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

November 4, 2021 is National Use Your Common Sense Day. Yes, we are serious. Our only problem with this particular national observance is that it is limited to only a day. Quite frankly, and I think most of you will agree, it should be Use Your Common Sense Day every single day. At the Law Offices of John Day, we see the results of failing to use common sense so we have some suggestions on where people might want to concentrate their efforts. We encourage you to join us in our little rant and add your lack-of-common-sense pet peeve in the comments. So here we go, this is our list: Continue reading

October 12, 2021

Another Reason Not to Drive Distracted: Voided Insurance Coverage

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

An insurance policy is a contract between you and the insurance company. At its most basic, you agree to pay the premium and the insurance company agrees to pay certain claims. For instance, in an Accidental Death policy, the insurance company agrees to pay benefits to the designated beneficiary in the event the insured dies in an accidental manner such as a car accident. Again, that seems relatively straight-forward. And if that were the only sentence in the policy it would be very simple. But anyone who has ever purchased insurance knows, insurance contracts are long, complex and filled with exceptions or exclusions. And texting and driving may be an exclusion that could void the insurance coverage for which you have been paying, maybe for years or decades. Let us explain. Continue reading

September 17, 2021

A Safe Ride Home from The Law Offices of John Day and MTSU

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

The first person ever arrested for drunk driving was a man named George Smith. According to the History Channel, on September 10, 1897, Mr. Smith, a young taxi driver, got drunk and then drove his taxi into a building. 124 years and 6 days later, drunk driving continues to be a problem on roadways. That is why The Law Offices of John Day continues to offer safe ride homes, and we are excited about our current free rideshare program with Middle Tennessee State University. Continue reading

July 19, 2021

Tennessee Ranks 9th in the Nation in Street Racing

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

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

June 28, 2021

The Champlain Towers South Collapse – What If It Had Happened in Tennessee?

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

The rising death toll and enormous property loss arising from the collapse of the Champlain Towers South Condominium building near Miami, Florida will give rise to litigation. Families of those who die in the tragedy will file suit, hoping to find answers and obtain compensation for the loss of loved ones. Injured people will also take legal action, seeking money to pay medical bills, replace lost income, and lost property. The insurance companies who sold homeowner’s insurance to the condo owners will also file suit, seeking reimbursement of the losses they will pay to their insureds. Continue reading

May 26, 2021

Memorial Day Weekend – Nashville Is a Favorite Destination This Year

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

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