Posted in Car Accident,Tennessee Accident Law on June 9, 2017
An accident involving multiple vehicles claimed the life of one person last Monday night in Sumner County.
Per a report by WKRN.com, the accident happened just before 8:30 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of Vietnam Veterans Boulevard between Bypass Road and Center Point Road in Hendersonville. News Channel 5 reports that one of the vehicles crossed the median near the exit for New Shackle Island Road and struck a cable post before colliding head-on with two other vehicles.
Emergency responders confirmed to reporters that one of the drivers was ejected from his or her vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Another driver was seriously injured but is expected to survive.
Emergency responders closed the highway for several hours as they worked to clear the scene and investigate the crash. Law enforcement officers reopened all lanes early Tuesday morning.
What Causes Vehicles to Cross Medians and Center Lines?
Head-on collisions are among the most dangerous types of accidents. Because of the impact zone and forces generated, drivers and their passengers are at high risk of suffering serious injuries—especially if they aren’t properly restrained. Ejections are common during head-on collisions, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that nearly 80 percent of people who were completely ejected during accidents in 2012 suffered fatal injuries.
Some of the most common causes of vehicles crossing into other lanes and increasing the risk of head-on collisions include:
When drivers are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they experience a variety of symptoms that are detrimental to their ability to safely drive their vehicles. These symptoms include blurred vision, reduced muscular coordination, poor reaction times, reckless behavior, and even losing consciousness. Any of those symptoms can result in their vehicles drifting over center lines or across medians and colliding head-on with other cars, trucks, and SUVs.
Whether it’s due to sleep deprivation, long hours on the road, prescription medications, or even highway hypnosis, drivers who are sleepy or fatigued are more likely to cause head-on collisions than well-rested drivers. Sleepiness and fatigue can cause drivers to lose their focus and concentration. They also may be at risk of micro sleep—a condition where they lose consciousness for anywhere from less than a second to a few seconds. Because vehicles can travel the length of a football field in less than five seconds, micro sleeps can be extremely dangerous.
Maintaining a lane requires being able to see where you’re going. Drivers who have poor visual acuity, poor night vision, or who drive without their corrective lenses may be more likely to cross medians and center lanes and cause head-on collisions. They also may be more likely to enter roadways traveling in the wrong direction. In addition, drivers with normal visual acuity can be at risk of these scenarios if they’re driving during inclement weather that causes poor visibility, including fog, heavy rain, and snow.
The Nashville auto accident attorneys at Matt Hardin Law know how dangerous head-on collisions are. If you or someone you love was hurt in a head-on crash that was caused when a vehicle drifted over the center line or median, it may be because the driver was negligent. We’ll investigate the crash and determine if the person who caused the crash was under the influence, driving while fatigued, or otherwise not upholding their responsibility to drive safely.
Don’t wait to get the experienced and successful legal representation you and your loved ones deserve. We’ve assisted injured victims like you for more than 20 years, and we know what it takes to build strong claims that get results. Contact us today by dialing (615) 200-1111 or completing a free online consultation form. It’s our goal to help you get maximum compensation for your accident-related expenses.
