by Queener Law | Nov 3, 2014 | Auto Accident, Tennessee
Whether they are driving down the turn lane, running red lights or confusing the gas pedal for the brake, some elderly motorists in Tennessee can create a significant driving hazard to other motorists on the road. While the topic of elderly drivers may be somewhat controversial, some states enforce strict regulations regarding senior citizen’s driving privileges in order to protect the interest of drivers on their roadways and limit the number of car accidents caused by senior drivers.
According to the Tennessee Attorney General, the right to have a driver’s license is protected under the Constitution. However, individual states are able to customize driver’s license testing procedures to different age populations in order to protect the best interest of the public.
Elderly driver fatalities
Out of the 33,561 deaths that occurred due to motor vehicle accidents statewide in 2012, 2,692 people were between the ages of 65 and 74 years old, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. An additional 2,868 people over the age of 74 were killed in traffic vehicle accidents that same year. In Tennessee, 175 elderly drivers over the age of 65 years were fatally injured on state roadways in 2012.
The U.S. Census Bureau expects the population of elderly American citizens to grow exponentially within the next 15 years, as baby boomers continue to age, according to a USA Today report. The bureau estimates that by the year 2030, the number of people over the age of 85 years old will reach 9.6 million. Many states are already planning on how to manage this rapid increase in older drivers.
Safety concerns
Although many elderly drivers have the capability to drive safely, there are others whose driving skills may be compromised. The Tennessee Department of Transportation reports that people may experience certain changes as they grow older, which may affect their ability to drive. These include:
- Visual acuity: As people age, their ability to adjust to light and dark driving conditions, judge the approximate distances of objects and discern specific details of their driving environment decrease considerably.
- Physical health: Stiff necks, arthritis and other physical limitations can affect a person’s driving.
- Mental alertness: Senior drivers may exhibit decreased reaction times, as it may take longer for them to process information within their driving environment.
- Taking medication: Elderly drivers are more likely to take certain medications that have side effects, which may interfere with driving. Some prescriptions come with a specific warning that people should not drive while taking the medication.
Elderly drivers may have difficulty driving through traffic, backing up, driving in dark conditions and making left turns. Some may get disoriented when driving in an unfamiliar environment. All of these factors could potentially lead to serious accidents involving injured victims, and should be kept in mind when determining whether or not a senior citizen should continue to drive.
by Queener Law | Nov 1, 2014 | Tennessee, Trucking Accident
Distraction is what allegedly caused a Tennessee truck driver to swerve his tractor trailer into oncoming traffic, hitting a bus filled with high school softball players. According to KFOR News, the tragic accident claimed the lives of four young girls and severely injured several other passengers on the bus. One of the injured girls is suing the company that was responsible for hiring the truck driver, claiming that the company failed to properly train and supervise their employee, which led to the devastating truck accident.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Large truck accidents claim the lives of thousands of Americans each year and injure countless more. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 3,802 fatalities from accidents involving large trucks nationwide in 2012. Approximately 107 of those deaths occurred in Tennessee. Although there are many variables that can cause a large truck accident, such as truck driver fatigue and distraction, the employer can also be held responsible for the actions of drivers who they directly employ.
The role of the trucking company
Not only are trucking companies required to inspect, repair and maintain vital parts and equipment on their fleet of commercial trucks, they are also in charge of hiring competent and skilled drivers, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In 2012, the FMCSA was prompted to remove over 171,000 commercial vehicle drivers from service due to excessive driving violations. Over 2.1 million vehicles inspected by the FMCSA were taken off U.S. roadways in 2012 due to violation concerns as well.
A growing demand
According to NBC News, a growing demand to transport and distribute products across the country has led some trucking companies to overlook certain federal regulations regarding driver training, equipment maintenance and driver work hours. There are up to 35,000 unfilled truck driver positions in the U.S., as reported by the American Trucking Association, and that number is predicted to grow substantially in the coming years.
A recent truck accident involving famous actor and comedian Tracy Morgan illustrates how trucking company negligence can result in disaster. The commercial truck that rear-ended Morgan’s limousine was equipped with the latest safety technology; however, the automatic braking system and speed sensors were not working properly, according to a Businessweek report. The driver manning the massive 40 ton vehicle had been awake for nearly 24 hours when the accident occurred. Morgan and several others have filed a third-party lawsuit against the trucking company, who among other things scheduled the truck driver to report to work over 700 miles away from his home.
Despite the growing economy, truck companies must ensure that their vehicles and drivers do not pose a significant threat to other motorists on American roadways.
by Queener Law | Oct 31, 2014 | Auto Accident, Tennessee
In an attempt to decrease the number of people injured and killed in auto accidents caused by distracted drivers, many states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning the use of handheld cellphones and texting while driving. These laws have prompted many drivers to put down their handheld cellular devices and rely solely on voice activated devices within their vehicles to conduct business while traveling. CBS News reported that a study released by AAA shows how voice activated devices, which are designed to increase safety while driving, may actually make driving more dangerous.
The study
While the general concept of voice activated cellular technology is somewhat new, many programs come with their fair share of errors. A recent study conducted by Dr. David Strayer from the University of Utah proposes that these errors may be the cause of significant stress and distraction to motorists who are driving while simultaneously voicing commands to their car.
In order to measure the level of cognitive distraction a driver experiences while using voice-activated technology, researchers used test vehicles equipped with heart-rate monitors and other instruments created to detect driver reaction times. During the study, motorists were given simple voice command tasks to complete while driving, including listening to and composing emails and text messages using different types of voice-activated technology. They were also asked to interact with different voice activated systems, ranging from systems that were completely accurate and reliable to those that were less reliable.
The results
The study found that drivers who used voice-activated technology to compose emails and text messages were more distracted that those who used hands free devices to simply listen to their messages. The results of the study also supported researchers’ initial theories that problems with voice-activated technology have a substantial influence on the amount of driver distraction experienced. For example, when drivers used hands free technology that was unable to understand their commands, they had higher rates of distraction.
These recent findings add clarity to research Strayer conducted on cognitive distraction last year. Previous studies revealed the effects of cognitive distraction on a motorist’s reaction time and ability to drive.
According to the AAA report, researchers hope this information will help vehicle manufacturers improve the accuracy of their voice-activated technology in order to minimize potential driver distraction.
Distraction.gov reports that 3,328 people were killed and an additional 421,000 people were seriously injured in distracted driving car accidents in 2012. Continued research and technological improvements may help to decrease these alarming statistics in the future.
