The Tennessean reported this week that traffic fatalities were down across Tennessee in 2013. That is great news, but unfortunately as the newspaper also noted, fatal car accidents spiked in Williamson County. The county sustained 16 car accident deaths last year; in 2012, there were 10. The total number of car accidents rose by about 15.5 percent in Williamson County from 2012 to 2013.
The exact cause of the increase in car accidents and in car accident fatalities is not yet clear, but it has been attributed in part to the increased traffic in the growing county. As Williamson County continues to experience job growth, it is attracting more residents as well as tourists and this has led to crowded roads.
According to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office, State Route 840 in Williamson County has sustained an increased number of car accidents in recent years. However, none of the fatal accidents occurred here. The sheriff's office reported that this area is particularly car accident-prone during poor weather conditions.
State Route 840 does carry a lot of traffic - more than 19,000 vehicles use the eastern half of the roadway in Williamson County every day, according to The Tennessean.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol hopes to curb car accidents in 2014 by using crash data to predict when and where car accidents might occur, allowing troopers to be deployed accordingly. Hopefully, county officials will also address any road design issues that may be leading to overcrowding and car accidents.
Those who are involved in car accidents in Williamson County or anywhere in Tennessee should seek legal counsel. Depending on the cause of an accident - whether it is negligent driving or flaws in road design - victims may have different options to obtain compensation for their injuries and losses.