T-Bone Accidents Happen in Intersections Throughout Tennessee

By Thomas Greer | January 1, 2014

The type of accident where one vehicle impacts the side of another vehicle is known as a T-bone accident in common parlance.  This type of collision also is referred to as a side-angle or broadside crash.  They frequently lead to serious injuries due to the high rate of speed at which the impacting vehicle usually is traveling and the minimal protection that the side of the vehicle being impacted has. Although many vehicles are now constructed with side-impact airbags and crumple zones, the fact is that a broadside accident involves the impact of a moving vehicle with barely more than a door to protect the occupants.  In November, 2013, the seriousness of this type of accident was demonstrated when a driver collided with a car exiting Interstate 24 near the Davidson/Rutherford County line in Tennessee.

This accident involved a pregnant woman driving a passenger car and exiting the interstate onto Old Hickory Boulevard.  The driver of the car was T-boned by a pickup truck and the force of the collision sent her car hurtling twenty to thirty yards down the road.  The severity of the crash resulted in the driver being pinned in the vehicle by the steering wheel and requiring rescue by the firefighters who responded to the scene.

As horrific as this accident was, it could have been worse.  There were no fatalities.  It did involve several of the elements that make a broadside or T-bone accident so serious.  First, the driver of the pick-up went through a light where there was some dispute about whether that was in violation of traffic laws, the accident occurred in an intersection, the pickup was going fast when it impacted the car, and the greater weight of the pickup resulted in a greater impact force than would have existed in a collision between two passenger vehicles.

In another accident in October 2013 in Springfield, Tennessee, the driver of a car accelerated to beat a red light and impacted a truck in the intersection, causing serious harm, but no fatalities.  One of the family pets in the car fled the scene of the accident and may have had internal injuries from the collision.  The driver of the vehicle that T-boned the other driver had a suspended license.

Finally, in August 2013, a woman who was being arrested for shoplifting in Fayetteville, Tennessee managed to steal the police cruiser at the scene and flee from the arresting officer.  Traveling at a very high rate of speed, the driver ran a red light and T-boned a sport utility vehicle with five people inside.  One person was killed and four others were injured.  The driver of the stolen police car also was injured.

These are just a few of the many T-bone accidents that happen throughout the state.  In nearly all accidents of this type, the impacting driver is at fault.  Whether that is the result of distracted or aggressive driving, operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or the outright reckless behavior of the woman who stole the police vehicle, it is important to hold them accountable for what they did.

As with any auto accident case, it is necessary to prove that the other driver negligently caused the accident in which you were injured.  This is done through a thorough investigation into the scene of the accident, the analysis of the official accident report and witness statements, and accident reconstruction, among other things.  The skilled Memphis auto accident attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC know how to build a case to prove that you were injured as the result of another driver’s negligence.  We will work with you to evaluate your case and determine what legal options are most appropriate for your situation.  To schedule an appointment, call us at 901-680-9777.  At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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