Shelby County Car Accident Statistics
Auto Accident Statistics
Nationally, millions of automobile wrecks occur each year, and Tennessee contributes its fair share. In 2007, there were 172,214 motor vehicle crashes in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. While this number seems high, drivers in the state did make progress over the next few years, dropping to 158,059 in 2009. Unfortunately, that number shot back up to 206,380 for 2016. The year 2019 saw 204,804 accidents across Tennessee roadways.
Car Wrecks Occurring in Shelby County, Tennessee
Of all counties in Tennessee, Shelby County had the most licensed drivers as of data collected in 2016 – over 575,000 to be exact. The next highest county, Davidson County, had 448,000 licensed drivers. This high number is likely one of the reasons auto accidents have continued to increase in the greater Memphis area over the years. Between 2010-2019, motor vehicle crashes increased more than 44% in Shelby County, which includes Memphis, Germantown, Cordova, Collierville, Bartlett, Arlington, Millington, and Lakeland.
Total Accidents in Shelby County: 2010-2019
In the Memphis area, car accidents can occur anywhere. Some of the most dangerous intersections in the city are:
- Poplar Avenue and Ridgeway Road
- Winchester Road and Riverdale Road
- Shelby Drive and Lamar Avenue
- Sycamore View Road and Summer Avenue
- Winchester Road and Kirby Parkway
In a recent study, two Memphis intersections were named among the nation’s most dangerous following a study of 18-wheelers and commercial truckers who were on cell phones while driving:
- Compress Drive and S. Lauderdale Street
- E. Holmes Road and Lamar Avenue
How Distracted Driving Increases Accidents
Distracted driving includes a variety of actions that divert your attention away from the road while operating a vehicle. Distractions include talking on the phone, applying makeup, changing the radio station, using social media, eating, adjusting the A/C, playing loud music, or even mental or emotional distractions. As cell phones have become more common, so has the number of drivers who use their phones while driving.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that during daylight hours, approximately 660,00 drivers use their phones while driving. While it only takes an average of five seconds to read a text message, a vehicle traveling at 55 miles per hour travels the length of a football field. Given the great distance that a vehicle can travel in the few short seconds while a driver is distracted, many instances of distracted driving result in accidents that cause serious injuries, or even death.
Distracted Driving in Shelby County, TN
It’s no surprise that residents of Shelby County drive distracted just as often as the rest of the country, with distracted driving listed by police as a factor in 7,143 accidents in Shelby County in 2016 alone. By 2019, that figure increased to 7,901. The percentage of drivers for whom inattentive driving was listed as a factor increased by over 10% from 2014 to 2015, and by over 14% from 2015 to 2016. From 2016-2019, inattentive driving increased by nearly 13%.
While Tennessee has a ban on texting for drivers, hand-held cell phone use is still allowed for drivers in many cases. Legislators are taking steps to prevent further distracted diving accidents, especially in school zones, where even holding a phone in a school zone will result in a class C misdemeanor starting January 1, 2018. Regardless of experience or age, distracted driving can result in drivers failing to stop at stop signs, speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road, and causing accidents that have a high rate of injury.
Traffic fatalities in Shelby County in 2016 accounted for an incredible 12.7% of all fatal car accidents in the State of Tennessee. By 2019, Shelby County traffic fatalities accounted for 13.6% of all car accident deaths in Tennessee. While it is clear that more populated areas experience more crashes and injuries than less populated rural areas, Shelby County still has an extraordinarily high number of traffic fatalities. For the years 2015-2019, Shelby County ranked second in overall crash rank, behind only Davidson County. Shelby also had the second highest number of young drivers (ages 15 to 24) involved in crashes.
Shelby County does have the highest number of licensed drivers in the state, but as the statistics show, the number of distracted drivers on our roads continues to grow each year, resulting in record numbers of serious accidents. While we as drivers can do our best to focus on the road and our surroundings, we can’t always prevent other drivers from driving distracted. Being the victim of a serious car accident can result in the need for medical attention, time away from work, counseling, physical therapy, or even surgery. It can be difficult to manage the complex aftermath of a serious car accident, but the Memphis car accident lawyers of Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz have the expertise and experience to assist you at every step.
Discuss Your Options with a Lawyer Today if You Were Injured in a Car Accident
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as a result of being involved in a car accident in Shelby County, the Memphis car accident lawyers of Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz are ready to assist you and discuss your case. Each and every day, our personal injury lawyers represent people injured across the Mid-South, including Memphis, Germantown, Collierville, Cordova, Bartlett, Millington, Munford, Atoka, and Arlington. Our auto accident attorneys have experience bringing claims arising from all types of injuries, including cases involving brain trauma, wrongful death, spinal cord injury, broken bones, and neck and back injuries. If you are looking for a car accident lawyer with trial experience, call us today at 800-529-4004 or complete our online form for a free consultation.
