Public schools in Middle Tennessee have already started and tomorrow marks the first day of school for private schools. Of course, this means more drivers on the road during rush hour, more pedestrians and bikers and, of course, more buses. Do you know important Tennessee laws regarding pedestrians and bikers? Do you know under which circumstances you do not have to stop for a school bus with activated lights? Take our true/false quiz and see what grade you receive on driver safety.
QUESTIONS:
- A driver may hold their phone while driving as long as they are not texting.
- You must always stop for a school bus with activated lights.
- A motorist must never pass another vehicle stopped at a crosswalk.
- A motorist must give a bicyclist a minimum of 3 feet of clearance when passing.
- Car insurance never covers pedestrian and bike accidents.
ANSWERS:
- Since 2019, it has been against the law in Tennessee to hold your phone while driving. It does not matter if you are talking, texting or playing the New York Times Spelling Bee, it is against the law to hold your phone while driving. For all the parents with new drivers, remind your teen that a violation of this law will result in a fine and 6 points on their license and they may need to get a part-time job to help pay for the increase in their car insurance rates.
- This one feels a bit like a trick question because most people assume that you should always stop for a school bus with activated lights. However, if you are on a divided highway, only the drivers traveling in the same direction as the bus must stop.
- If a car is stopped at a crosswalk, the odds are pretty good that a pedestrian is crossing. If another motorist passes the stopped motorist, it presents a very hazardous situation as the pedestrian may appear from behind the stopped vehicle and into the overtaking vehicle’s path. Therefore, passing a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk is against the law in Tennessee.
- If a motorist cannot give a bicyclist the legally- required 3 feet of clearance, then they must wait to pass and the bicyclist is permitted to occupy the entire lane.
- Of course, as a contract, the language of your insurance policy controls the nature and extent of coverage, but almost all policies cover you as a motorist if you hit a pedestrian or bicyclist. In addition, many people do not realize that their own auto insurance policy may cover them if they are a pedestrian or bicyclist and get hit by a motorist.
We hope you passed the quiz with flying colors. We also hope everyone will leave themselves enough time to get to their destination, slow down, be polite and courteous to other drivers and simply focus on safe driving. If you need us, we are here to help. As always, we offer a free initial consultation so you can get your questions answered and decide if we are the firm for you. We handle all accident cases on a contingency basis so we only get paid if we win.
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Brentwood: 615-742-4880
Toll-Free: 866-812-8787