Cleveland TN Personal Injury Law Blog

Many Tennessee residents had travel plans over the recent Memorial Day weekend. Perhaps the travel was just to get together with friends or family. Others may have had out-of-state destinations. Either way, the state's roads and highways saw a fair amount of vehicular traffic over the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, the holiday weekend was not free of motor vehicle accidents.

One particularly tragic car accident involved three vehicles traveling in Williamson County on Highway 96. According to reports, a minivan with 11 occupants may have swiped another vehicle. Unfortunately, the minivan driver was not able to regain control afterwards, and the momentum of that first impact may have contributed to its subsequent collision into an oncoming third car.

As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, friends and family members might attend cemeteries at local Tennessee cemeteries, perhaps putting a flag on the grave of a brave veteran. Bigger cities, like Nashville, might plan music, concerts and other activities over the three-day weekend. Yet even smaller Tennessee neighborhoods might sponsor local parades to commemorate the brave men and women who have defended America.

With parade planning comes extra responsibility, however. City planners have a duty to ensure that premises are safe for both parade participants and spectators. That may mean cordoning off parade routes, erecting barriers to separate spectators from parade floats, and taking other measures to ensure smooth pedestrian traffic flow.

For high school college students in Tennessee and across the country, May is a significant month. Final exams, summer job plans, and of course end-of-the-year parties may all take place in a short span of 31 days. High school students may have the added social pressure of prom. Regardless of the party, young drivers will have to confront the issue of driving.

Many will take a preventive approach, making alternate transportation plans. However, a recent statistic from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests that many are making unsafe choices that may result in impaired driving and car accidents. Specifically, federal data indicates that almost one-quarter of teenagers will drive drunk or under the influence of a controlled substance.