On July 30, 2015, a local school suffered a tragic loss when a student lost control of his car after football practice and drove off the side of the road. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the accident was a true accident: “the crash report said the vehicle traveled slightly off the right side of the road on a left-hand curve, and then came back across both lanes and traveled off the left shoulder into trees, one of which crashed into the driver’s side door.” No outside factors have been implicated in the reason for the crash.
The other young men involved in the crash were passengers in the car. Both were hospitalized, but The Tennessean reports that both are expected to be released soon.
The dangers of curves
The strip of roadway where the young man was killed, Forrest Crossing, is an older road without rumble strips. If a driver is not paying attention, it is entirely possible to make a turn too quickly and find oneself in the dirt on either side. It is also possible that the driver may have overcorrected when he realized he was in the dirt, but we simply don’t know.
The curvy roads in more residential areas are of particular danger to Tennessee drivers: visibility is often poor, and a lack of barriers on either side can make it easier to swerve or slide off the road. If you find yourself skidding or swerving to miss a piece of debris, and you believe you’ve lost control of the car, remember that you do not need as much force on your steering wheel as you think; overcorrecting can cause the car to slide across the road. You should also remove your feet from the brake and/or gas pedals if the car has lost traction. One you feel the tires connected to the road again, gently apply the brake.
This tragic death serves as a reminder that car accidents – even ones that don’t involve crashes with another car – are always dangerous. If you have been in a car crash in Tennessee, Banks & Jones can help. Please contact us to find out how a skilled Knoxville car crash attorney may be able to help you obtain compensation for your injuries.
T. Scott knows the importance of interacting with colleagues to stay abreast of developments and changes in the legal world. T. Scott frequently teaches CLE courses on trial strategy, teaching other lawyers his methods for success in the courtroom, and is certified as a Rule 31 Mediator in the Tennessee Supreme Court. He is a member of the Knoxville Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the National Trial Lawyers, and both the Tennessee and American Associations for Justice.
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