There are many causes of a Memphis car accident. In 2021, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security* reported over 42,000 vehicle accidents within the counties in Memphis, TN. Within those 42,000 there were 285 fatal car accidents and 10,376 injury-only car accidents. Shelby County alone had over 38,000 car crashes.
Common causes of auto accidents are distracted driving, night-time driving, weather conditions, unfamiliarity with your vehicle, no awareness of your surroundings, and fast lane driving. Our Memphis personal injury lawyers help accident victims no matter the cause of their vehicle accident.
Avoid Distracted Driving Temptations
Texting and driving is such a big culprit for car accidents in Memphis, especially among younger drivers. In 2019, the Tennessee government bad it illegal for all drivers to text and drive.
According to the Tennessee Law 55-8-199, you cannot:
- Hold a cellphone with any part of the body
- Send or read any text message
- Cannot reach for a cellphone that causes the driver to be positioned out of the driver’s seat or not properly restrained by a seatbelt
- Not allowed to watch a video or movie on any device while driving
- Record or broadcast video on any device
Wireless calling where you do not touch the cellphone is still very dangerous. Drivers will still be distracted by the conversation.
Having multiple passengers while driving can be a major distraction for young drivers as well. College students are notorious for driving with many passengers. The music is usually blaring and the passengers can be talking loudly and acting recklessly. It would be better for younger drivers to limit the number of passengers in the vehicle.
Drivers a bit older might have to worry about children being loud and acting out during the drive. It is recommended to pull over safely and address the situation with the children to ensure safe driving.
Be Familiar With Your Vehicle
Every time you get behind the wheel you should do some standard checks for your vehicle. To ensure safe driving, drivers should adjust all mirrors, adjust the seat if needed, and check tire pressure reading. New drivers should become comfortable with the vehicle’s gas and brake pedal sensitivity. Pedal sensitivity varies from car to car and can be a cause of an auto accident.
Night-Time Driving
Driving at night can lead to more Memphis car accidents. The first thing a driver should do before driving at night is to make sure their headlights and brake lights work properly. This would help identify cars in front of them and help cars behind them to see them.
Drunk driving can occur during any time of day, unfortunately. But drivers driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs happen more frequently at night. It is important to always be aware of other drivers on the road. If you see a driver driving recklessly you can report them to 911 or you can dial *847 which can be a bit quicker than 911.
Drowsy driving is another cause of auto accidents that can occur. This can be seen more in truck drivers who make overnight trips or people who are driving long-distance road trips. Swerving or lane-drifting is a tell-tale sign of a drowsy driver. If you are feeling drowsy while driving, it is safer to pull off into a rest stop and take a break.
Weather Conditions
Driving during different types of Memphis weather conditions requires different safe driving techniques. For driving in the rain, drivers should make sure they have working windshield wipers and proper treading on tires. Driving slower through heavy rainstorms is safer, especially when you have a hard time seeing in front of you. It is also important to avoid driving through puddles when driving a low to the ground vehicle.
When driving on iced roadways, you first will want to scrape ice from windows and the windshield in case of any water that froze over them. Driving slower on iced roadways and avoiding slamming on breaks will prevent any sliding or fishtailing.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Our Memphis car accident lawyers always recommend being aware of your surroundings when driving as this can help avoid any potential crashes. Reckless drivers can be more than just drunk drivers or drowsy drivers. Drivers who deal with road rage can be very dangerous when driving. They are prone to speeding, running traffic signs, red lights, and making dangerous lane switches.
When driving in high traffic areas, always double-check when switching lanes just in case there are speeding drivers weaving through traffic. Especially when driving in the fast lane, those drivers tend to speed, way above the speed limit. The left lane, also known as the fast lane, can be very dangerous especially when needing to switch lanes to make it to an exit.
About the Author
Michael Feiner
Michael A. Feiner is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001, Michael has devoted his practice to representing plaintiffs throughout Florida in various tort and strict liability cases and has successfully litigated cases against national insurance companies, large public companies, and governmental agencies, resulting in tens of millions of dollars for his clients.
He has handled all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases on behalf of plaintiffs, including automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, dog bites, and sexual harassment. Michael’s product liability case against Microsoft, as well as his representation of victims of sexual harassment and abuse by physicians, has garnered him important media attention at both the local and national levels.
Michael is an experienced trial lawyer and successfully argued an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In the reported decision Ortlieb v. Butts, 849 So.2d 1165 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), Michael persuaded the Fourth District Court of Appeal that a directed verdict on liability was appropriate where the defendant did not rebut the presumption of negligence of a rear driver in a rear-end collision.
Michael Feiner
Michael A. Feiner is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001, Michael has devoted his practice to representing plaintiffs throughout Florida in various tort and strict liability cases and has successfully litigated cases against national insurance companies, large public companies, and governmental agencies, resulting in tens of millions of dollars for his clients. He has handled all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases on behalf of plaintiffs, including automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, dog bites, and sexual harassment. Michael’s product liability case against Microsoft, as well as his representation of victims of sexual harassment and abuse by physicians, has garnered him important media attention at both the local and national levels. Michael is an experienced trial lawyer and successfully argued an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In the reported decision Ortlieb v. Butts, 849 So.2d 1165 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), Michael persuaded the Fourth District Court of Appeal that a directed verdict on liability was appropriate where the defendant did not rebut the presumption of negligence of a rear driver in a rear-end collision.