As of today, 386 people have died as the result of a car crash in Tennessee; 19 of them have occurred in Knox County. Based on the research out of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there is a chance that up to 25% of those deaths were the result of a broadside, or “T bone,” accident.

A broadside collisions occurs when one car, truck or motorcycle, or any motor vehicle, crashes into the side of another motor vehicle.

These types of accidents are often the result of:

• Speeding or reckless driving
• Failing to obey traffic signs or signals
• Driver distraction, especially through intersections or while exiting a driveway
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Poor weather
• Mechanical defects, such as defective brakes
• Drunk drivers
• Hazardous roadways

Less common than a rear-end accident but more common than a head-on collision, the T-bone accident can still have a long-lasting effect on a driver and/or passenger, and could lead to some serious – and sometimes permanent – injuries.

What to do after you’re hit

Broadside crashes are so dangerous because the driver and/or passenger(s) who were hit lack the protection that the trunk might offer in a rear-end collision. If you are in a broadside crash, make sure to call the police immediately. If your car can be moved safely off the road, do so – but if not, then turn your hazard lights on.

If you can move, extricate yourself from the car. Set up a perimeter with road flares if you have any. If your passengers can also move, help them to get out of the car and off to the side of the road in safety. If you or the other people in the car cannot move, or experience pain too great that it prevents any of you from moving, make sure to request an ambulance.

Once you are out of the car, take pictures of your vehicle, the other vehicle, the other people in the car, the road and yourself. You might want to ask someone else to take those picture as opposed to trying for a selfie. Some injuries take a while to show, so it is crucial that you seek out a doctor right away. If you need to wait a few days, make sure to take more pictures of your injuries and your passengers’ injuries, too.

At Banks & Jones, we help people just like you after they were seriously hurt in a broadside collision. We invite you to contact us to set up an appointment with an experienced Knoxville car crash attorney. We fight to win for you.