Whether you live or work in Tennessee, or are just passing through on your way to somewhere else, you’d better buckle up. As of January 1, 2016, anyone caught not wearing a seatbelt is in for a new fine. WBBJ Eyewitness News reported that first-time offenders caught without safety restraints are now posed to get hit with a $25 fine. Repeat offenders will see double that amount, as the new fines for them are $50. The [...]
2015 was a pretty terrible year when it came to auto recalls. We saw some truly mind-blowing accounts of defects in hardware and software that car and truck manufacturers pushed forward in the name of the almighty dollar. The silver lining, of course is that the US auto-safety advocates and regulatory committees finally said “Enough is enough!” You might say that 2015 was the year that we all struck back in the name of accountability. Now, [...]
In September of 2015, Volkswagen admitted to circumventing emissions tests on up to 11 million vehicles across the globe, spurring one of the largest – and most costly – recalls in history. This latest recall, however, involves a far more frightening part of the car: the braking system. According to Automotive News, the German auto manufacturer will recall 91,867 vehicles because “’The camshaft lobe has the potential unexpectedly shear off from the camshaft,’ leading to a [...]
Rollover crashes look exciting on the TV set or on the big screen, so if you’ve never been in one, it’s easy to understand why you might think they’re a “safe” accident to have. Nothing could be further from the truth. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, rollovers are among the deadliest accidents there are. Up to 10,000 people a year die in rollovers, which account for around 2% of all crashes but 33% [...]
In 2015 so far, there have been more than 10,000 traffic crashes in Tennessee, and 605 of them have happened in Knox County. With so many cars, trucks, SUVs and commercial vehicles on the road, the chances are pretty high that you might be involved in a car crash around Knoxville at some point in your life. A head-on collision is the rarest type of car crash, but one of the most dangerous: the National Highway [...]
Every month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) compiles a list of vehicle and auto part recalls that’s made available to the public. The most recent report was published on September 2nd, and it’s pretty extensive. The 20 page report covers everything from defective headlights to bad tires to the pieces that make up your vehicle’s engine, and some of these defects could cause a fatal crash. We looked through the report, and found some [...]
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 [...]
School is back in session here in Knoxville, which means we all need to be much more aware while we’re on the roads. The increased number of children walking to and from school, combined with the number of school buses now on the roads, can make it more dangerous for kids and for drivers all around the state. There have already been two school bus accidents in the last month: an overturned bus in Lincoln County [...]
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, [...]
It is difficult to know where to begin when talking about the potential dangers for teen drivers, but most people are aware of the alarming statistics. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death in 15 to 20-year olds in the United States. In 2012 (the most recent data available) 4,283 drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 died in motor vehicle crashes, and 184,000 [...]
