Posted in Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on February 19, 2016
3 People Injured after Vehicle Crashes into Murfreesboro Office Building
A white Chrysler Sebring crashed into the wall of a Murfreesboro chiropractic office Thursday afternoon, causing both a patient receiving treatment inside the building and the driver of the vehicle to suffer serious injuries. A spokesperson with the Murfreesboro Police Department says that an additional person was also injured as a result of the accident.
WKRN.com and the Daily News Journal report that the accident occurred around 3:30 p.m. at an office building located in the 200 block of West Northfield Boulevard in Rutherford County. One of the victims inside the building was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to receive treatment for non-life-threatening injuries, and the driver of the Sebring was also transported to a local hospital.
The accident scene was attended to by responders from both the Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue Department as well as the MPD. Structural engineers were called to the scene to make sure the building is safe and isn’t in danger of collapsing due to the damage it sustained. The cause of the crash is still under investigation by police.
Common Reasons Vehicles Crash into Buildings
Vehicles crashing into buildings may seem like a rare event, but it happens more often than you might imagine. In 2015, there were multiple instances of vehicles crashing into buildings and causing injuries throughout Middle Tennessee. In addition, statistics from the Storefront Safety Council indicate that vehicles collide with buildings around 60 times per day nationwide, causing more than 4,000 injuries and 500 deaths every year.
Some of the most common reasons that these accidents occur include:
Safe driving requires giving the roadway, the movements of other vehicles, and the rules of the road your undivided attention at all times. That’s why any distraction can be extremely dangerous when you’re behind the wheel. Drivers who look away for even a brief moment to send text messages, reach for something in their glove boxes, or consult their smartphones for directions are at risk of drifting off roadways and into the path of buildings.
It’s not always enough just to keep your eyes, ears, and mind focused on the road. You also need to make sure you have the energy and the alertness to stay safe behind the wheel. Driving while sleepy or fatigued puts you at risk of falling asleep while driving. Even “microsleeps”—or periods of unconsciousness that can last for less than one second—are enough to cause you to lose control of your vehicle and crash into other cars or even nearby buildings.
As the two examples above indicate, losing control of their vehicles is one of the most common reasons drivers crash into buildings. A third common reason that drivers lose control is because they exceed posted speed limits. Each roadway in Murfreesboro has a set speed limit for a reason, and when that limit is exceeded, it makes drivers more likely to be involved in accidents, whether that involves crashing into other vehicles or buildings. It’s especially important for drivers to maintain safe speeds when navigating sharp turns in urban areas, as buildings may be just a few feet away from the roadway.
Vehicles crashing into buildings can cause serious injuries and serious property damage. In addition to putting drivers’ and passengers’ lives at risk, it can also put the lives of people inside the buildings at risk as well.
The Murfreesboro auto accident attorneys at Matt Hardin Law have been helping all types of car accident victims for two decades, and we know that any type of collision can cause people to suffer injuries that put them in the hospital and out of work for extended periods of time.
Whether you were in your vehicle or in a building, if you or someone you love was injured in an accident caused by a negligent driver, we may be able to help you recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.
To speak with our Rutherford County legal team today, just dial (615) 600-4941 or complete a free consultation form.
