The Tennessee Legislature is trying to get tougher with uninsured motorists in our State, which currently ranks sixth in the nation for the number of uninsured drivers. The proposed bill would triple the fines for failing to have insurance (from $100 to $300). If a driver could not provide proof of…
Bruce Jenner of Olympic gold, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and gender transition fame was recently involved in a multi-car accident that left one woman dead. Because the accident resulted in a fatality, investigators are expected to review the cellphone records of all involved to see if distracted driving played…
For the last six months, the Tennessee Highway Patrol has been testing a new software system conveniently called CRASH – Crash Reduction Analyzing Statistical History. The software system is designed to help police predict the spots where crashes are likely to occur. While this is still a pilot program, the system has…
Drivers who participate in transportation networking companies (TNC) may have a significant gap in coverage. Some insurance carriers are taking the position that the TNC driver is engaged in a commercial service any time they are logged into a ridesharing app and just looking for a passenger. Under such circumstances,…
Drivers involved in fatal accidents are more likely to test positive for prescription drugs and street drugs then in the past. Here are some staggering statistics from some recent reports. · From 1993 to 2010, for fatal crashes, the number of drugged drivers with three or more drugs in their…
With age comes invaluable driving experience, but after a certain point it can also bring declining physical abilities which makes driving more dangerous. Case in point: 78% of seniors drive regularly despite reporting slow reaction times and tiring easily behind the wheel. 13% of senior drivers reported difficulty hearing or…
A Tennessee statute provides that a funeral procession has the right-of-way when the lead vehicle properly identifies the funeral procession by using a flashing amber light or is identified as a police escort or other “properly identified” escort. A funeral escort may also use a siren and flags to identify…
From 2000 to 2010, 2,344 children under the age of 15 were killed in drunk driving accidents. In a whopping two-thirds of those fatal accidents, the children were actually riding with the drunk driver as opposed to the drunk driver being a stranger in another vehicle. Unfortunately, drunk driving was not the…
Under Tennessee law, a first time DUI offender must spend 48 hours in jail. But a drunk driver convicted of vehicular homicide may receive probation and avoid jail time. Memphis’ Commercial Appeal newspaper has reported three such incidents in which someone under the influence of alcohol who caused a fatal accident spent…
We all know that drinking and driving is dangerous. The same is true about driving while under the influence of certain drugs including prescription medications. But, most people are not aware that certain medical conditions can impair driving ability. For instance, individuals diagnosed with epilepsy need to have their seizures well-controlled and meet…