Posted in Car Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on May 1, 2016
Serious Accident Reported in Clarksville after Vehicle Collides with Patrol Car
A Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office patrol car collided with another vehicle in Clarksville Tuesday night, causing a woman to be ejected from her car and suffer serious injuries.
According to a report by Clarksville Now, the accident occurred at around 9 p.m. on Ashland City Rd. near its intersection with Avondale Dr. A spokesperson with the Tennessee Highway Patrol says that the accident is still under investigation, and it is unclear which vehicle crossed the center line.
The woman who was ejected from her vehicle wasn’t wearing her seat belt at the time of the collision. She was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to receive treatment for her injuries.
Inside the vehicle with the woman were two passengers—a man and a juvenile. There’s no word at this time about their conditions or whether they were injured in the accident.
The impact of the collision caused the deputy to be stuck inside his patrol car for nearly one hour before rescue crews were able to pull him to safety. He was also transported to a local hospital to receive treatment and was last listed in stable condition.
Investigators and emergency responders closed the roadway until 5 a.m. Wednesday as they worked to clear the scene and determine what caused the accident to occur.
What are Common Causes of Vehicle Ejections?
When an auto accident victim is ejected from a vehicle, the injuries that he or she may suffer can be serious and life-threatening. The safest place to be during an accident is inside your vehicle where you’re protected by safety features like airbags and advanced collision safety systems.
Around 75 percent of people who get ejected from their vehicles during accidents suffer fatal injuries, and many ejections are preventable when drivers and passengers take certain steps before they hit the roadway.
Some of the most common causes of vehicle ejections and ways to prevent them include:
Any time a vehicle rolls over or flips, the occupants inside are at risk of being ejected. Ejections can even occur during rollover accidents when occupants are wearing their seatbelts, as the forces generated during the accident can cause seat belts to become unbuckled or loosened. When that happens, the seat belts no longer restrain drivers and passengers properly and they can be thrown from their vehicles.
Not all seat belts are created equal, and not all are equally effective at holding occupants in place during accidents. Vehicles with seatbelts that are old, worn out, or not working correctly can put drivers and passengers at high risk of being ejected due to their failure to tighten when impact or loss of control are detected. If you drive an older vehicle, or if you think your seatbelts aren’t functioning properly, it’s important to get them checked by a mechanic as soon as possible to help reduce your risks.
Unrestrained drivers and passengers can be ejected from their vehicles even at relatively low speeds. As speeds increase, the risk of ejection also increases. Rollover accidents and head-on collisions are particularly common causes of ejection when occupants aren’t wearing their seat belts. In addition to always buckling up, it’s important for drivers and passengers to make sure that their seat belts fit properly and secure them at the waist and at the shoulder.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Clarksville auto accident attorneys know that accident-related ejections often have devastating consequences for victims. People who are ejected frequently suffer fatal injuries, and those who survive often suffer injuries that result in long-term disabilities and pain.
If you or someone you love was injured in an ejection crash that was caused by a negligent driver, you may be eligible to receive compensation. We know that victims like you face expensive medical bills, extensive physical therapy and rehabilitation, and prescription medications to manage your pain and other accident-related symptoms—all of which you may not be able to afford if you’re too hurt or disabled to go back to work.
Don’t let an accident that wasn’t your fault put you in a financial bind. Let us fight for your rights to get the money you deserve. Dial (31) 274-7788 or complete a free online consultation form.
