Posted in Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on January 1, 2015
Eight People Seriously Injured in East Tennessee Accident Involving Ambulance
Eight people were taken to East Tennessee hospitals Wednesday evening after an accident involving a minivan and an ambulance in Loudon County, Tennessee, on state Highway 95 near Sinking Creek Road.
According to a report by wbir.com, the driver of a minivan swerved into a lane occupied by an ambulance, causing the ambulance driver to swerve and avoid the vehicle. However, the ambulance driver was unable to get out of the way in time, causing a serious collision.
A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper reported that two children, a 5-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl were taken to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to receive specialized treatment for their injuries. The girl is in critical condition while the boy is being treated for an injury to his hand.
The THP trooper went on to state that the driver of the minivan crossed the highway’s center line while navigating a curve, causing the van to strike the ambulance. The ambulance was carrying two people—the driver, a paramedic, and a passenger, an EMT.
According to the THP, all of the victims of the accident were either wearing seatbelts or properly secured with child safety seats.
The Nashville car accident lawyers at Matt Hardin Law hope the victims who were transported to the hospital recover quickly from their injuries they suffered in this accident.
Why Are Seat Belts Important in Auto Accidents?
Accidents like this have the potential to cause serious injuries to nearly everyone involved—but the usage of seat belts and child safety seats can dramatically reduce the number or severity of injuries in car accidents. Because of their life-saving potential, Tennessee state law makes it mandatory for all drivers and passengers to wear seat belts. Our Nashville car accident attorneys know how crucial seat belts are for everyone who rides in vehicles due to several safety reasons, such as:
High-speed car accidents exert tremendous force on the occupants of vehicles. Because of the extreme sudden deceleration involved in car accidents, both drivers and passengers are vulnerable to being ejected from their vehicles. Seat belts keep auto accident victims in place in the vehicle where they are protected by airbags and other safety features and much less likely to suffer the severe injuries commonly seen in accidents involving ejections.
In addition to keeping vehicle occupants from being ejected through a windshield or other opening of a vehicle, they also help prevent auto accident victims from striking the inside of the vehicle, such as the dashboard, steering wheel, or seats. Even though most modern vehicles have extensive safety features to soften impact in accidents, striking airbags with sufficient force can still result in broken bones or severe cuts and lacerations.
People who are involved in car accidents are vulnerable to suffering severe trauma to one specific area of their bodies depending on the location and severity of impact. High-speed accidents can cause life-threatening injuries if the affected area includes vital internal organs. Wearing a seat belt helps spread the force of impact throughout the body and reduces the impact to specific vulnerable areas, including the brain, heart, and other organs.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Nashville car accident lawyers are strong proponents of seat belt laws because we know how they can save lives. In our time spent handling car accident claims, we’ve seen countless examples of victims whose injuries were greatly reduced due to wearing seat belts at the accident of their accidents.
If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident, get in touch with our legal professionals. Just dial (615) 200-1111 or fill out a free online form. We’re ready to help you move forward with your life.
