Fireworks Stands Pose Potential Driving Hazards
Around this time of year, roadside fireworks stands pop up all over East Tennessee in preparation for the upcoming July 4th holiday. Anyone who has ever lived in or traveled through East Tennessee around this holiday knows that you seemingly cannot drive half a mile without passing at least one fireworks tent. While there is absolutely nothing wrong, with buying, selling, or enjoying fireworks, drivers in Tennessee do need to realize the risks that the fireworks-selling season brings with it.
The predominant risk that this time of year poses for drivers is caused by the fact that these fireworks stands are literally set up right on the side of the road in some places or in small parking lots just off the highway. Such positioning increase the likelihood that cars will be exiting and entering the roadway with a much higher frequency than normal in these locations, meaning drivers will need to keep a proper lookout to avoid hitting others who may make sudden maneuvers in order to stop at a fireworks stand or who reenter the roadway unsafely. This is especially likely at very busy fireworks stands where lots of cars may be entering or exiting the roadway at a given time. In Tennessee, failure to keep a proper lookout in these situations may result in a driver being apportioned some responsibility for the resulting accident even though he or she was not primarily at fault for the wreck.
Defensive driving probably is not the first thing that comes to mind for most Tennesseans when they think about the July 4th holiday. However, it is a behavior that must be adhered to in order to minimize roadway danger and liability for accidents. Tennesseans who find themselves injured because of negligent driving in situations such as the one described above should contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can assist them in recovering for their losses.
