Reckless Driving Archives - The Stroud Law Firm

Icy Roads in Memphis Cause Women to Jump off Overpass

January 7, 2014 by Philip Stroud Leave a Comment

Northern Mississippi and the Memphis metro area have experienced an unseasonably cold winter thus far, with more frigid temperatures headed our way.

With the cold come freezing rain, ice, and snow, all of which make driving conditions more dangerous than usual.

Recently, an auto accident caused by ice in Memphis, Tennessee, pushed three women to jump off an overpass guardrail, falling nearly 40 feet to the ground.

According to a report from WMCTV in Memphis, 47-year-old Pamela Byrd Davis was driving home late one Saturday night when she became involved in a multi-car pileup on the Walnut Grove Road-Humphreys Boulevard overpass. [Read more…]

Fifteen Percent of Southern Drivers Still Don’t Wear Seat Belts

November 20, 2013 by GNGF Leave a Comment

As an auto accident attorney in Southaven, Mississippi, I’ve seen the importance of wearing your seatbelt in many cases. Buckling up is such a simple precaution, yet so many drivers in Northern Mississippi and Memphis choose to avoid the safety measure altogether.

Why is that, you ask? I can’t tell you exactly why many people choose not to wear their seat belt, but I can give you statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Association.

Let’s begin with some positives: seat belt use in 2012 rose to eighty-six percent in the United States, up from eighty-four percent the year before.

Seat belt use across the country has shown an increasing trend since 1994, when it was at only fifty-eight percent. [Read more…]

Watch Out for Lowered Speed Limits in Olive Branch, MS

October 15, 2013 by Philip Stroud Leave a Comment

As a reckless driving defense attorney, I often meet with people who are fearful of losing their license. In some cases, this happens after an incident in which they were unaware of the speed limits or traffic laws in the area where they were pulled over.

With this in mind, I thought I should pass on the newest changes to speed limits in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

Residents and commuters in Olive Branch are likely noticing that many limits have been lowered from twenty-five to twenty miles per hour, and others from thirty to twenty-five.

According to a recent DeSoto Times-Tribune article and City Engineer Steve Bigelow, the reduced speed limits are not part of an organized program. [Read more…]

Cell Phone Restrictions Likely Have Little Impact Car Accident Deaths Caused by Distracted Driving

March 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

A new report by the West Virginia University School of Public Health concluded that laws passed across the country to punish those texting behind the wheel have likely had little effect and have not done much to reduce the number of car wreck injuries caused by distracted driving.

The study, “Keeping an Eye on Distracted Driving,” appears in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The authors of the study found that in 2003, cell phone use behind the wheel likely caused more than 300,000 total injuries and 2,600 fatalities. Between 2005 and 2009, as new legislation was passed across the country, these numbers increased by 22 percent. The study found that despite increased legislation meant to force drivers to put down their phones, the problem is likely to worsen over the coming years. [Read more…]

North Mississippi Car Accident Attorney: Are American Drivers Safe Drivers?

September 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Most Americans appear to have a high opinion of themselves as drivers, with the vast majority rating themselves as having safe driving practices. Research shows that there’s a funny disconnect between what Americans admit to doing behind the wheel and how they view themselves as drivers.

Most drivers believe they are excellent behind the wheel, despite freely admitting to dangerous driving practices. As part of new research that was commissioned by Ford, researchers interviewed more than 2,500 Americans with driving licenses. The subjects were all over 18 years old, and came from 18 different cities. [Read more…]

Older Mississippi Drivers and Road Safety

March 21, 2012 by Philip Stroud Leave a Comment

As the Baby Boomer generation continues to age, one thing is certain–the roads will be increasingly filled with older drivers. Currently, thirteen percent, or 34 million Americans, are over sixty-five years of age. That number is expected to increase by 60% over the next fifteen years. Based on these numbers, it is projected that one in five drivers will be 65 or older by 2025.

While the older drivers may have more experience on the road, they are also responsible for a disproportionate number of accidents. A report released by TRIP states that although drivers over 65 account for 8% of all miles driven, they are involved in at least 17% of all reported crashes. [Read more…]

DeSoto County, MS Sheriff Wants Radar

December 6, 2011 by GNGF Leave a Comment

DeSoto County Justice Court may be even busier if Sheriff Bill Rasco’s request for more funding from the legislature is approved. Specifically, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department is seeking more funding to purchase radar equipment to install in its patrol cars to curb the problem of citizens speeding in unincorporated areas of the County. Now there are only four (4) MS State Troopers that patrol DeSoto County, and according to officials with the Sheriff’s department, that is not enough.

Lawmakers have said that “small counties disfavor radar” because they fear that County deputies will abuse it. However, there is talk now that an exception may be made for DeSoto County, and Representatives Forrest Hamilton of Olive Branch and Wanda Jennings of Southaven believe that a bill tailored directly to DeSoto County may have a chance of passing the house. [Read more…]