Tennessee Injury Attorney Blog

Published on: July 11, 2011

Tennessee Trucking Accident Illustrates Summer Dangers

A Tennessee trucking accident left a tractor-trailer on its side on Highway 25-E just south of Springdale BP, according to the Claiborne Progress. The accident happened when the load shifted as the truck was heading around a curve and caused it to topple over on its side. The accident took out about 200 feet of guardrail and left debris scattered across the road.

The Springdale Volunteer Fire Department, Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol and Claiborne County EMS responded to the trucking accident. Authorities remained on scene for several hours. The tractor-trailer had to be towed off scene and debris cleared from the roadways. The driver only received minor injuries.

Our Tennessee trucking accident attorneys understand that the number of traffic accidents typically increases through the summer months. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured in this accident, but as travel on our roadway drastically increases, so will the number of serious trucking accidents. A motorist’s most dangerous time to be traveling on our roadway may be when they’re driving alongside large trucks. It doesn’t matter if you’re driving a car, truck, SUV, RV, riding your bike or walking, you are more likely to suffer severe injury if you are involved in a traffic accident with a tractor-trailer in Tennessee. During these types of accidents, occupants of a passenger vehicle sustain nearly 80 percent of fatalities.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is all about keeping you safe this summer! Through their Share the Road Safely program, the Administration aims to increase the knowledge of drivers to help reduce their risks of being involved in a car or trucking accident in Tennessee.

Sharing the road with these large vehicles can be dangerous. Here are a few tips to help you to drive safer:

-Don’t cut them off. Trucks and buses typically take much longer to stop in comparison to cars. If you do pass a large truck, look for the front of the truck in your rear-view mirror before you pull in front of the truck.

-Always wear your seat belt. Seat belts have been proven to protect vehicle occupants in the event of an accident, especially in accidents with large trucks. A seat belt will keep you from hitting the steering wheel or windshield, being thrown around and from being ejected from the car upon impact.

-Stay out of blind spots! Large trucks have large blind spots. These are zones that surround the vehicle in which the driver cannot see you, or your vehicle. If you can’t see the driver in the truck’s mirror, the truck driver can’t see you.

-Keep your eyes, and your mind, on the road. Refrain from engaging in distracting driving habits. A split second can mean the difference between a safe car trip and a deadly accident.

-Don’t squeeze in. Be careful of trucks making they’re right turns. Trucks needs to take wider turns than passenger vehicles. If you try to get in between the truck and the curb when they’re making a turn, you’ll be caught in a “squeeze” and can suffer a serious accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one in nine traffic accident deaths involved a truck in 2008. During that year, 380,000 trucks were involved in traffic accidents on our roadways. These accidents resulted in nearly 4,500 deaths and 90,000 injuries.
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Published on: July 8, 2011

Drivers Using Drugs Increase in Risks of Tennessee Trucking Accidents – NHTSA Investigates

By Mark Hartsoe

A Tennessee truck driver was involved in a fatal accident that killed three motorists last week. He was reported, by Durham State Troopers, to have been under the influence of marijuana and methadone at the time of the accident. Troopers also searched the vehicle and found drugs and drug paraphernalia. The driver is being held on a $500,000 bail and is currently facing charges of driving while impaired and three counts of felony death by vehicle, according to the The Charlotte Observer.

The company that the truck driver worked for, based in East Tennessee, has received a number of violations relating to fatigued drivers and unsafe driving that has resulted in a number of trucking accidents in Tennessee.

Our Tennessee trucking accident attorneys understand that these accidents are not uncommon. As a matter of fact, before this accident, the same truck driver was involved in two serious accidents in 2010. These accidents happened in Kentucky and Tennessee. One involved serious injury.

For reasons like this, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been looking into accidents that involve truck drivers and the use of drugs. The NHTSA recently released a new report on drug use by drivers involved in some of our county’s most fatal crashes. The report illustrates an alarming increase in the level of drug involvement among fatally injured motorists from 2005 to 2009.

According to NHTSA research, more than 60 percent of the 21,798 drivers who were killed in traffic accidents in 2009 were tested for drugs. Of these fatalities, nearly 4,000 tested positive for drugs. The report also concluded that the use of drugs among fatally injured drivers increased 2 percent from 2005 to 2006 and another 2 percent to 2008.

“Every driver on the road has a personal responsibility to operate his or her vehicle with full and uncompromised attention on the driving task,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “Today’s report provides a warning signal that too many Americans are driving after having taken drugs, not realizing the potential for putting themselves and others on the highway at risk.”

The types of drugs recorded include narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, cannabinoids, phencyclidines (PCPs), anabolic steroids and inhalants. The groups include both illicit drugs, legally prescribed drugs and over-the-counter medicines.

“While it’s clear that science and state policies regarding drugs and driving are evolving, one fact is indisputable. If you are taking any drugs that might impair your ability to drive safely, then you need to put common sense and caution to the forefront, and give your keys to someone else. It doesn’t matter if its drugs or alcohol, if you’re impaired, don’t drive,” Strickland warned.

The NHTSA will continue to conduct research regarding drug use and truck drivers and their impact on traffic accidents. Currently, there are nearly 1,000 instructors and more than 6,000 trained police officers in 46 states that are able to recognize symptoms of driver impairment by drugs other than alcohol.

In Tennessee alone, nearly 100 drivers that were tested for drugs after a fatal traffic accident returned positive results in 2009. Another 250 drivers were tested that did not have test results recorded.
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Published on: July 6, 2011

Tennessee Teen Institute Camp Focuses on Teen and Drunk Driving Car Accident in Tennessee

By Mark Hartsoe

A number of teens gathered at the Tennessee Teen Institute (TTI) at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville to discuss the importance, and raise awareness of, teen and drunk driving car accidents in Tennessee.

The camp invited teens from ages 13- to 18-years-old from across the state, according to the Jackson Sun. About 350 teens spent the week at the camp participating in activities that aimed to explain the dangers of drinking and driving.

Our Tennessee personal injury attorneys understand that events like this are important in keeping our roadways safe. These drivers, teens and ones those who are impaired by alcohol, pose serious threats to motorists on our roadways. For this reason, the National Transportation Safety Board has placed both types of drivers on their “most wanted” list. This list targets these drivers and encourages government enforcement to reduce the risks of such traffic accidents.

“It’s really youth-driven and youth-led,” said Barry Cooper, director of JACOA, which helps organize TTI every year. “The student staff members work together, and they really make the camp.”

Teens are targeted at this camp because they are the most vulnerable on our roadways. Car accidents are the number one cause of death for teens in the United States. It is estimated that nearly 10 teens die on our roadways every day. This death rate is higher than for deaths related to cancer, gun violence or drugs among those in this age group.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 5,000 teen drivers were involved in fatal traffic accidents in 2009 alone in the United States. Nearly 200 teen drivers in Tennessee died on our roadways during that year.

To help reduce the risks of these fatal teen car accidents, the NTSB recommends that all states enforce a graduated drivers license (GDL) . Luckily, Tennessee is one step ahead and already enforces the system, according to the Department of Safety & Homeland Security.

Under Tennessee’s GDL program, a teen must complete the following steps to get a full, unrestricted driver’s license:

–Tennessee Learner Permit: A teen must be 15-years-old and pass a standard vision screening. They’re also required to pass the Class D knowledge exam. New drivers are required to show proof of school attendance/progress from a current Tennessee school or a letter from the school in your previous state that confirms your attendance and acceptable grade marks.

–Tennessee Intermediate Driver License: A driver can get this license when they turn 16-years-old. They must have had a valid learner permit for a minimum of 180 days and must have completed 50 hours of behind the wheel driving experience, which needs to include 10 hours of night driving. They must then pass another road skills test.

–Tennessee Unrestricted Driver Silence: After all of the above steps are completed and requirements met, a teen can then apply for their full, unrestricted license.

Although teens are not old enough to consume alcohol, it doesn’t mean that they won’t. This is why the camp focuses on intoxicated driving as well. Through the camp, students will learn that nearly 11,000 people were killed in these preventable car accidents in 2009 on U.S. roadways. Drunk driving accidents account for nearly a third of all traffic accident fatalities. It is estimated that someone dies every 48 minutes because of these accidents. Tennessee witnessed nearly 350 deaths on our roadways because of accidents that involved an intoxicated driver.

To help combat intoxicated driving accidents, the NTSB recommends that states follow these tips:

-Limit plea bargaining deals in court.

-Limit diversion programs.

-Conduct a number of sobriety checkpoints.

-Enforce administrative license revocation for those who either refuse to take or fail a sobriety test.

-Install ignition-interlock devices in the vehicles on those who have been convicted of drinking while driving.

-Use jail alternatives, such as dedicated jail/treatment facilities, home detention with electronic monitoring or intensive supervision probation.

“This is building future leaders for the state in prevention,” said Cooper. “Some of these kids now are social workers or getting master’s degrees and doing things. They’re taking what they learned and moving on.”
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Published on: June 30, 2011

Knoxville Personal Injury Attorneys Wish You a Safe and Fun Fourth of July

By Mark Hartsoe

With the Fourth of July finally here, many families throughout Tennessee will enjoy the warm weather by traveling and others will relax at home. Either way, the Hartsoe Law Firm wishes you a safe and fun holiday weekend.

For those of you traveling this weekend, be safe. AAA estimates that 39 million drivers will be hitting the roads, down slightly from 40 million in 2010, USA Today reports. The national auto group believes that an average $1 increase in gas prices is the reason for the slight dip in drivers.

But 39 million is still a huge number of drivers and they represent a high risk of car accidents in Knoxville and the surrounding areas this weekend. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 989 people died on Tennessee roads in 2009. That ranked Tennessee ninth in the country in highest number of traffic deaths.

And despite tough criminal penalties for people convicted of DUI, people continue to drink and drive, causing tragic and devastating injuries and deaths. In 2009, The Century Council reports, 303 died in 2009 in alcohol-impaired crashes in Tennessee, about 1/3 of the total number of accidents.

While vehicle accidents are a risk, so are boating accidents. Tennessee had 266,185 registered vessels in 2010, which was down more than 3,000 from 2009, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. But despite the drop in vessels, there were 167 boating accidents in 2010, up from 2009, when there were 158. There were also 19 fatal accidents in 2010.

The Ocoee River had 34 boating accidents, tops in the state. And while boating accidents that cause trauma are a concern, drowning is also a risk. The Associated Press recently reported that two people have drowned in the Ocoee River this year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3,443 fatal unintentional drownings in 2007. Children are most likely to drown. Among children ages 1 to 4 who died from unintentional injuries, nearly 30 percent died from drowning.

So, whether whitewater rafting or swimming in your own pool, be safe. Swimming pool injuries can lead to lifelong injuries and brain damage. Near-drownings can have substantial effects on a child.

But what many people most look forward to during the Fourth of July weekend is fireworks. They light up the sky and are fun to watch, but they can be dangerous. Fireworks accidents claimed seven lives in 2008 and another 7,000 were injured, the CDC reoprts. The most common fireworks injuries are to the eyes, hands, fingers, arms and legs.

Here are some fireworks tips to keep your family safe this holiday weekend from The National Council on Fireworks Safety:

Use fireworks outdoors only
Obey local laws
Always have water handy
Never relight a “dud” firework
Don’t alter or use homemade fireworks
Don’t mix alcohol and fireworks
Don’t let children under 12 use sparklers
Use common sense

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Published on: June 28, 2011

Sleepy Drivers Increase Risks for Truck Accidents in Tennessee during the Fourth of July Weekend

By Mark Hartsoe

Two people were killed in a trucking accident on Interstate 55 last week. One of those killed was a state transportation worker. The Tennessee trucking accident occurred just before r Mississippi River bridge, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The state transportation employee was a HELP truck driver. The accident happened when the driver was helping a stalled vehicle. As the vehicles were stopped, a tractor trailer hit the disabled vehicle and then struck the Tennessee Department of Transportation truck. In addition to the death of the state employee, the driver of the tractor trailer died.

Our Tennessee trucking accident attorneys would like to urge all motorists to travel safely, especially during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. You may think that truck drivers are well rested and traveling responsibly this weekend, but the truth is they’re traveling under even more dangerous conditions than normal — many pushing to make it home to their families or pushing to make up for lost time. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently made exemptions to the number of the driving hours for 3,000 commercial truck drivers who are hauling FIREWORKS! They’re now allowed to be behind the wheel of their commercials trucks for an even longer amount of time.

“FMCSA announces its decision to grant the application for exemption from the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) on behalf of 9 member motor carriers seeking relief from FMCSA’s hours-of-service (HOS) regulation that prohibits driving of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) after the 14th hour after the driver comes on duty,” reads the commercial driver exemption.

This is only a temporary exemption, but takes place during some of the most dangerous days on our roadways. This exemption will allow commercial drivers of firework cargo to exceed the driving hour limit from June 28, 2011 through July 8, 2011. It will also be effective next year from June 28, 2012 to July 8, 2012.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 380,000 large trucks involved in traffic accidents in the United States in 2008. A large truck is classified as a vehicle having a gross weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds. Of the 380,000 trucks, nearly 5,000 of them were involved in fatal traffic accidents. Deadly trucking accidents contributed to more than 10 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2008. There were another 90,000 people injured in these accidents. During 2008, there were nearly 100 trucks involved in fatal accidents in our state.

Motoristshave no choice but to share the road with these dangerous and deadly big rigs. Here are some safety tips for passenger-vehicle motorists to help preserve your safety on our roadways.

-Be cautious of wind gusts from trucks.

-Keep both hands on the wheel when you pass a truck or a truck passes you.

-Be sure not to tailgate trucks. This is especially important on hills because when they let off the brake, the truck may roll backwards.

-Beware of their blind spots. If you can’t see the driver, the driver can’t see you.

-Don’t speed up when a truck is passing you. Instead, you should stay to the right and slow down a little bit. Let the truck pass you.

-If a truck driver is signaling to change lanes, give them enough space to do so. An average truck changing lanes, at highway speeds, needs an eight second gap or roughly 700 feet to do so.
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Published on: June 22, 2011

Smokies Relief Pitcher Involved in Hit-and-run Knoxville Car Accident

By Mark Hartsoe

A relief pitcher for the Tennessee Smokies was reportedly the victim of a hit-and-run car accident in Knoxville early last Friday morning, according to KnoxNews.

The pitcher, Ty’Relle Harris, suffered a leg injury and was taken by ambulance to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. These injuries were reported to by non-life threatening. He remains at the UT Medical Center.

Our Tennessee personal injury attorneys understand that almost everyone is involved in an accident at one time or another. It is important that we all do the right thing in these situations. Motorists are urged to check on one another to make sure that injuries receive the proper attention. Motorists are also to exchange information and report to authorities when necessary. Often in a hit-and-run crash, either the fleeing driver doesn’t have insurance or a valid license, or he or she may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you’re the victim of a hit-and-run accident, you are urged to contact an experienced attorney immediately as recovery can be made against at-fault drivers.

In cases where a driver lacks insurance, a claim may be made against insurance policies in effect on other vehicles in the household. And in cases where the at-fault driver is not located, or does not have sufficient means to make a recovery, a victim may be able to make a claim against his or her own insurance carrier.

The hit-and-run driver was reportedly apprehended by the Knoxville Police Department after fleeing the scene. He is currently facing charges of leaving the scene of an accident, vehicular assault and drunken driving.

The Smokies are currently in the middle of a five-game series against the Chattanooga Lookouts at Smokies Park.

“Ty’Relle is a great teammate and we missed him tonight,” Smokies manager Brian Harper said. “He’s a good young man and there’s no question he would have pitched tonight. Hopefully he’ll get better.”

Hit-and-run accidents saw a near 19 percent jump in frequency from 1999 to 2001 and have continued to steadily rise since 2003, according to hitandrunreward.com. Hit-and-runs don’t only affect vehicle occupants, either. It is estimated that one out of every five pedestrians killed on our roadways die from a hit-and-run.

The AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety estimates that more than 20 percent of all fatal accidents from 1993 to 1999 involved a driver without a driver’s license. This is a common scenario in hit-and-run accidents.

If you witness a hit-and-run accident, you are encouraged to stop and help the victim and the police. Try to get a description on the fleeing car. Try to get the make, model and color of their vehicle. Try to get their license plate number and the direction in which they headed.
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Published on: June 21, 2011

Officials Crack Down on Trucking Accidents in Tennessee and Elsewhere

By Mark Hartsoe

The Tennessee Highway Patrol recently participated, in partnership with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, in the nation’s biggest patrol on commercial vehicles.

Operation Roadcheck 2011 was a 72-hour roadside enforcement project conducted in various areas throughout the United States. This project aimed to enhance bus and truck safety and reduce the risks of bus and truck accidents in Knoxville and elsewhere in North America, according to Clarksville Online.

“It is more important than ever that we place an emphasis on commercial vehicle safety in Tennessee,” said Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons. “The Tennessee Highway Patrol will do its part to maintain the safety and security of our highways through inspections and roadside checks, but it is also the commercial drivers’ responsibility to identify safety defects with their vehicle. Together, we can ensure that all motorists reach their destination safely.”

Our Tennessee truck accident lawyers recognize that these large, commercial vehicles often produce more serious injuries and more fatal accidents than accidents between two smaller motor-vehicles. It is the large size and heavy weight of these commercial vehicles that prove to be deadly in accidents. Motorists are urged to travel among these large vehicle with extreme caution.

There were nine inspection stations at weigh stations along our interstates. Law enforcement made random stops in various areas of our highways. They conducted Level I inspections — the most thorough and comprehensive type of inspection. Officers examined tires, lights, brakes and every other major component on trucks and buses.

During last year’s operation, more than 400 commercial vehicles were inspected during the 72-hour crackdown period. Throughout these inspections, more than 25 commercial drivers and nearly 35 vehicles were placed out-of-service. Throughout the entire United States, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, nearly 65,500 commercial vehicles were inspected and nearly 30 percent of drivers received out-of-service violations. Another 26 percent of vehicles received out-of-service violations during that time.

“Operation Roadcheck reinforces the critical role inspector’s play in safety and crash prevention on state highways,” said THP Colonel Tracy Trott. “It’s important to have well-trained drivers who are conscious of their vehicles functionality and abide by the rules of the road, especially with the size, weight and increased numbers of passengers of these vehicles. We will not hesitate to place commercial vehicles or its’ drivers out of service to keep our highways safe.”
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Published on: June 12, 2011

Man Killed in Maryville Motorcycle Accident

By Mark Hartsoe

A Tennessee motorcycle accident on Morganton Road in Maryville left a motorcyclist dead earlier this week, according to The Daily Times.

According to the Blount County Sheriff’s Office, the motorcyclist was traveling north on the road when he rear-ended a pickup truck that was pulling off of Wells Road. He was reportedly wearing a state-approved helmet, but it flew off from the impact of the accident.

Our Maryville motorcycle accident attorneys recognize the dangers that motorcyclists face on our roadways. Motorcycle riders are much more likely to sustain serious injuries or die in these accidents than the occupants of the passenger vehicles. Motor-vehicle drivers are asked to practice extra caution when sharing the roads with these bikes, especially during the summer when the warm weather attracts motorcyclists from across the state.

The driver was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The 23-year-old pickup driver denied medical attention at the scene of the accident. Officers report that he was not wearing his seat belt.

The Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Unit is investigating the accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2009 illustrated the first decease in fatal motorcycle accidents since 1997. It was also the first year that the number of motorcycle accident injuries decreased since 1999.

Still, 2009 saw nearly 5,500 motorcyclist fatalities because of roadway crashes. Another 90,000 motorcyclists sustained injuries throughout the year.

In 2008, a motorcyclist was nearly 40 times more likely than a passenger vehicle occupant to die in a motor-vehicle accident based on miles traveled. Motorcyclists were also nine times more likely to be injured in a crash.

In the last 10 years, motorcyclists 40 and older saw the largest increase in the number of fatalities. During the same time, those with an engine size 1,000 cc and above also had the greatest increase in deaths.

Motorists are urged to follow these tips to help keep our motorcyclists safe on the road:

-Double check your blind spots. These are the areas where a motorcyclist is most likely to get lost from your line of vision.

-Always assume that a motorcycle is closer than it appears. Because of their small size, they sometimes seem farther away than they really are.

-Avoid tailgating.

-Don’t depend on a bike’s brake lights. Motorcyclists often downshift to slow down. This does not activate their brake lights.

-Allow a motorcyclist the entire lane. Riders are likely to zig-zag within a lane to avoid road debris or wind from passing vehicles.
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Published on: June 11, 2011

Teens Unite to Raise Awareness of Trucking Accidents in Tennessee and Elsewhere

By Mark Hartsoe

A group of teens recently joined together to raise awareness about trucking accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere throughout the United States.

Teens from around our nation’s capital teamed to make summer traveling safer by vowing to be extra cautious near large trucks. They vowed to allow them plenty of room and to avoid driving in their spots. The teens even signed a “No Texting Promise.” This truck safety demonstration event was organized by national safety officials and families of distracted driving crash victims, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation‘s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the National Organizations for Youth Safety and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance also spoke to students about the importance of safe driving around these big trucks. Accidents involving these trucks are often deadly.

Our Knoxville truck accident attorneys know this all too well. These vehicles operate much differently than our passenger vehicles and motorists need to familiarize themselves with these differences. It is important to work around these vehicles and to accommodate their needs to preserve the safety of all motorists.

“We want everyone to be safe, but as newer drivers, teens must adhere to a few simple rules,” said Anne Ferro, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. “They are: buckle up, don’t drink and drive; don’t speed, don’t text or use your phone, and steer clear of a truck’s blind spots.”

Drivers 16 to 24 years old have the highest traffic accident death rate in the United States. From 2005 to 2009, almost 4,000 people from that age group were killed in traffic accidents involving large trucks.

The event was held this month because, according to the most recent data from U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the deadliest days for teens on our roads are from May through August. During these months, teens 15 to 19 see about two times more deaths on roadways than any of time during the year. During this time, there’s an average of 16 deaths per day on our roadways. This is compared to an average of roughly nine deaths per day the entire year.

“Prom, graduation, and summer are fantastic times for youth to celebrate and enjoy. However, with these fun times come unfortunate tragedies,” said Sandy Spavone, president of the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS). “Through education, enforcement, and legislation lives can be saved and injuries prevented.”

A fully loaded tractor-trailer needs about twice the distance to stop than a passenger vehicle does. These tractor-trailers also have extremely large blind spots that motorists should avoid.

“Do not expect that having a driver’s license is a right that comes without responsibility or risk,” said Steve Keppler, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. “Be accountable for your actions, spread the word to your friends and parents, and help create a culture of safety. Most importantly, take the driving task seriously. You never know the impact you can have that ultimately could save your life or someone else’s.”
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Published on: June 7, 2011

New Program Aims to Help Those Severely Injured in Tennessee Vehicle Accidents

By Mark Hartsoe

A runaway truck rolled down a hill, took a fence down and crossed over two interstate ramps before striking a guard rail. The Tennessee trucking accident ended with the truck coming to rest underneath the Interstate 26 underpass last Wednesday evening, according to Volunteer TV.

Tennessee Highway Patrol and police are still investigating what caused the truck to venture off without supervision.

Fortunately, no one was injured in this accident, but that’s not usually the case in accidents involving these large tractor-trailers. Our Tennessee truck accident attorneys understand that accidents involving these large trucks oftentimes result in serious injury — or death. Because of their large size and heavy weight, these vehicles come with a lot of force and power and have the ability to cause a lot of damage.

There’s a new program to help the victims of these accidents that involve large trucks. According to USA Today, there’s a new national program that will allow emergency responders to get much needed information from seriously injured victims in the event of an accident. This new program is fueled by the growing number of maturing Baby Boomers.

This program is referred to as the Yellow Dot Program. Here’s how it works: Participating drivers will place a yellow dot sticker on the rear windshield of their window. This is to notify emergency responders of a folder that is located in the glove box of the vehicle. This folder is to be marked with the same yellow sticker and is to contain vital information including medical conditions, emergency contacts, a photograph of the driver, prescription information and other vital information.

“It’s a promising approach,” says Jonathan Adkins, spokesman for the Governors Highway Safety Association. “Actually, this is one of the goals of automated crash notification systems. Eventually, when there is a crash, these key data such as medication needed will automatically be available to EMTs, etc. The Yellow Dot program may be a system that can be helpful in the meantime.”

The chances of survival are greatly increased when this information is readily available within the “golden hour,” or the first 60 minutes after an accident.

“The residents of the state … realize the importance of it, particularly someone with a lot of medical issues. The second group is the first responders, because they know when they arrive, if the person is unable to communicate, they know they can go to the glove compartment and get the information they need, and they can do it immediately without wasting a lot of time,” says Lora Weaver, program coordinator for the Northeast Alabama Traffic Safety Office.

The nation’s first Yellow Dot program started in 2002 in Connecticut. Yellow Dot programs are in effect in counties scattered across at least eight states.

“It is very nice to see innovative programs to address the unique risks associated with older Americans and car crashes,” says Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Since older individuals tend to have more medical conditions, are on more medications and are generally more fragile, this sounds like a well-justified program, especially in light of the growing number of older Americans.”
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