Distracted Driving Took 51 Lives In Tennessee Last Year
A recent report by Fox 6 WBRC shed some light on the sharp uptick in auto accident fatalities caused, at least in part, by distracted driving. The report highlighted one particularly tragic case of a young mother who lost her oldest daughter in a rear-end accident with a seemingly distracted driver who failed to brake in traffic.
The victim and her family were on their way to school in December 2015 when, after coming to a stop, they were rear ended by a driver the police believe was not paying attention behind the wheel. The mother was knocked unconscious for a short period of time and her youngest daughter spent months in physical therapy and lost function in her limbs for a time.
The victim’s mother believes the entire accident could have been avoided had the other driver in the crash exercised a semblance of caution while operating his vehicle. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, these types of catastrophic accidents are on the upswing since a slight downturn in 2014.
Distracted driving crashes and fatalities rose in 2015
According to statistics in the report provided by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, 51 people lost their lives in 2015 due to distracted driving. The number of total crashes throughout the state caused by distracted driving rose to a record high of 22,964, almost double the figure from 2008.
Tennessee does have laws against texting while driving but many question whether the laws actually prevent needless deaths from occurring on the highways. Currently, fines for texting while driving are only between $10 and $50, perhaps underplaying the seriousness of the offense.
While Tennessee troopers issued fewer than 2,000 tickets for texting while driving last year, authorities also wrote tickets for failure to exercise due care while operating a motor vehicle. The Tennessee Highway Patrol has issued almost 4,000 such tickets so far in 2016 and that number is expected to rise dramatically as police look to curb accidents and fatalities caused by careless drivers.
Nashville Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one was hurt in an accident caused by a distracted driver, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The experienced Nashville distracted driving accident lawyers of Calhoun Law, PLC understand the challenges auto accident victims face following a crash and work hard to get them the compensation they deserve.
Contact our office for a free legal consultation about your case. Strict time limitations do apply to filing auto accident lawsuits so please contact us at your earliest convenience. Our office serves clients throughout Davidson County, Williamson County, Rutherford County, Montgomery County, and Robertson County.