Memorial Day Weekend - Please Drive Carefully - Tennessee has had increase in Traffic Fatalities

On behalf of Daniel Clayton posted in Wrongful Death

Law enforcement in Tennessee is gearing up to crackdown on a number of different risky driving behaviors like distracted driving, drunk driving and not wearing a seatbelt. The hope is that the increased focus will help to combat the recent spike the state has seen in the number of motor vehicle related fatalities.

According to the director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office in Nashville, the number of traffic fatalities for the first three months of the year is up 28 percent from the same time period in 2011. Specifically, there have already been 238 fatal motor vehicle accidents in 2012. Last year there were 186.

Broken down by numbers for this year, in January there were 67 fatalities, followed by 71 deaths in February and 100 motor vehicle fatalities last month.

When looking at why there has been an increase, one Tennessee sheriff said reasons could include the fact that weather turned warmer earlier this year, and the economy has also gotten better, which has led to people driving more.

In the past, law enforcement agencies throughout the state have only targeted one dangerous driving behavior at a time, like drunk driving or speeding. However, a recently approved demonstration project will allow officers and deputies to target a number of issues at the same time.

The project is with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and will go on for two years.

Officials are hopeful that participation in this demonstration project will lead to preventing injury and fatality causing accidents from even happening in the first place.

Source: The Commercial Appeal, “Rise in traffic fatalities fuels crackdown on traffic violations in Tennessee,” Kevin McKenzie, April 9, 2012

Tags: Car Accidents, Fatal Accidents, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death

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Accident Fatalities Going Up in Tennessee

On behalf of Daniel Clayton posted in Wrongful Death

Recently, I posted on the fact that law enforcement in Tennessee was going to be cracking down on risky driving behaviors in the hopes of combating the traffic fatality toll that has been on the increase so far this year. At that time, Kendell Poole, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Office in Nashville reported that there had already been 238 fatal motor vehicle accidents in the state. Now, just a few short weeks later, that total number has already climbed over 300.
In response to this drastic increase, aside from extra enforcement, Tennessee motorists may have also noticed electronic message boards along the interstates showing the current total number of people who have died in a motor vehicle accident so far this year. Last Friday the sign reported the number was 317. By Monday it was already at 331.
When looking at what is causing this increase — after so many years of decreases — Poole points to the fact that the weather turned warmer earlier this year, which means more people are out and about. Specifically, more people are also out on their motorcycles.
Statistically speaking, motorcyclists and drivers not wearing seat belts have accounted for 41 percent more deaths so far for this year than in 2011.
Poole also said that his office is really concentrated on getting the message of safe driving to men between the ages of 18 and 34. He said this demographic is more likely to not wear a seat belt and to drink and drive, which greatly increases the risk of getting into an accident.
Source: The Tennessean, “Death toll soars on Tennessee’s roads,” Brian Haas, May 9, 2012

Tags: Car Accidents, Motorcycle accidents, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death

Posted in Wrongful Death|Tagged Car Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Wrongful Death|Leave a comment