Posted in Car Accident,Distracted Driving,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on November 17, 2015
10 Vehicles Involved in Two Pile-Ups on I-24 in Montgomery County
Two separate accidents near Clarksville, Tennessee, caused 10 vehicles to sustain damage in major pile-up collisions Tuesday morning on Interstate 24.
According to a report by Clarksville Now, the first accident involving three separate vehicles occurred around 8:23 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-24 near mile marker 10.
The second accident occurred just after the first near exit 8 and involved a total of seven vehicles. The impact of the collisions caused the eastbound lanes of I-24 to close for more than two hours and traffic to come to a complete standstill. Responders were able to clear the scene by 11 a.m. to open the interstate to commuters.
A report by the Clarksville Police Department says that a 20-year-old woman driving a 2005 Saturn Ion caused the initial accident when she looked away from the road to take a bite of food. By the time she looked back at the traffic in front of her, multiple vehicles had come to a stop and she was unable to react in time before rear-ending a large truck.
The impact of that collision caused a chain reaction. The woman was cited by police for following too closely.
3 Reasons That Distracted Driving Is So Dangerous
Several studies have shown that distracted driving is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated—and in some cases, it can be even more dangerous. Safe driving requires keeping your full attention and focus on the road at all times. That means even a brief distraction that causes you to take your eyes or mind off the road for even one second can be all it takes to cause a serious accident. Because of the increasing number of electronic devices in vehicles, including smartphones, stereos, and integrated navigation systems, distracted driving is becoming a bigger problem on roads in Tennessee year after year.
Three of the biggest reasons that distracted driving is so dangerous include the following:
Even if you put ample distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you, a situation where traffic in front of you is forced to slow down or stop over a short distance requires quick reflexes to avoid an accident. However, driving while distracted can impair your reaction time or cause you to fail to apply your brakes at all, putting you at risk of causing a serious accident.
Watching out for the presence of other vehicles and their movements isn’t the only thing you have to worry about behind the wheel—you also need to be alert for the presence of red lights and stop signs. Distracted driving can make you more likely to overlook a red light or stop sign, and entering an intersection without having the right of way is extremely dangerous.
Rollover accidents are among the most dangerous for drivers and their passengers—especially if they fail to wear their seat belts. One of the most common causes of rollover accidents is distracted driving. Looking away from the road for just a split second or taking your hands off the wheel to reach for the car stereo, an item in the glovebox, or something in the passenger seat is all it takes for you to lose control of your vehicle, putting yourself at risk of being injured in a rollover accident.
Matt Hardin Law’s team of Clarksville auto accident attorneys knows that distracted driving plays a role in more and more car crashes every year in Middle Tennessee. It’s common knowledge that drinking and driving is an extremely dangerous behavior, but it’s important that all drivers become more aware of the risks they take every time they take their eyes or minds off the road ahead.
If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident caused by a negligent or distracted driver, our legal team may be able to help you get compensation for your accident-related expenses. To find out how we can help, pick up the phone and dial (615) 200-1111 or complete a free initial consultation form today.
