Posted in Car Accident,Negligence on April 27, 2014
Earlier this month in North Mississippi, a Tennessee teen was killed on his way home from his high-school prom. According to a report by a local news agency, the teen’s prom dance was held in Memphis, Tennessee and he was heading back to his home in North Mississippi when the accident occurred.
Evidently, the teen was driving north on 305 when the truck he was driving veered out of the lane of travel and collided with a tree on the side of the road. The teen was not wearing his seat belt and was thrown from the truck upon impact. Friends of the teen say that when they last they saw him he was very tired, and they believe that he may have fallen asleep while driving home late that night. Drugs or alcohol are not believed to have been involved in this fatal accident.
Driving While Tired
What makes this tragic accident even sadder is that it might have been possible to prevent if it had indeed been caused by fatigued driving. Each day, thousands of drivers get behind the wheel when they know they shouldn’t. Whether it involves intoxicated driving, distracted driving, or sleepy driving, the ultimate risks of an accident are the same.
Although tired driving risks the same outcome as drunk driving, it doesn’t share the limelight like drunk driving does. However, tired driving is responsible for a significant number of fatal Tennessee car accidents each year.
Fatigued Driving Is Especially a Problem for Semi-Truck Drivers
This accident involved a less-experienced driver who may have fallen asleep behind the wheel. However, of all the drivers on the road, semi-truck drivers are some of the most susceptible to fatigued driving. These individuals drive for money and get paid by the mile; the more mileage they can cover in a given period of time, the more they will earn per hour. This creates an incentive to drive even when someone knows they shouldn’t.
When drivers push themselves beyond what their bodies allow, they can suffer a decrease in vision, in reaction time, and in the ability to make good decisions. Ultimately, they might even lose consciousness by falling asleep behind the wheel. When this happens, an accident is almost certain to occur. In the case of the teen mentioned above, only a single car was involved. Had another vehicle been hit, the potential for injuries — and a civil lawsuit to recover damages if one driver’s negligence had caused the accident, for that matter — could have greatly risen.
Have You Been Involved in a Tennessee Car Accident?
If you have recently been involved in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence, you should speak to a Tennessee personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be eligible for monetary compensation to help you cover the costs associated with your accident, including, past and future medical expenses; past and future pain and suffering; loss of wages; and, in some cases, punitive damages. The dedicated lawyers at Matt Hardin Law have the experience and knowledge you need to feel comfortable bringing your case forward in any Tennessee court. With years of collective experience and hundreds of satisfied clients, Matt Hardin Law is an effective choice for Tennessee personal injury law. Click here, or call 615-200-1111 to schedule your free initial consultation today.
See Related Blog Posts:
Tennessee Court of Appeals Reverses Trial Court’s Reduction in Damages for Motorcycle Accident Victim, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published April 14, 2014.
Tennessee Hit and Run Driver Charged with Homicide After Fatal Accident, Nashville Injury Lawyer’s Blog, published April 21, 2014.
