We are constantly on the go here in Knoxville. We rely on our cars, our primary mode of transportation, for everything; to go to school, to work, etc. Now, a new type of car, a car capable of driving itself, is in development, and the Tennessee State Senate has passed a bill that sets guidelines and regulations for self-driving cars, or autonomous vehicles. What are AVs? Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are vehicles that operate themselves in one [...]

We Tennesseans are constantly on the go. Our cars and trucks are our primary mode of transportation, which means we have to deal with other drivers. We cannot always be safe on the road because we cannot control the actions of others. One common type of auto accident is a rear-end crash or collision. The most persistent kind of automobile accident, rear-end crashes involve one vehicle’s front bumper hitting another vehicle’s rear bumper. We also call [...]

There are few things more controversial than child safety. Everyone agrees that protecting our kids is a top priority, but we have a harder time agreeing on just how to do that. The recently recalled car seat bill is just another example of difficult it is. The bill, which had been passed by the Senate and the House, “would change the rules to require kids under two to use rear-facing seats; children under age five must [...]

Its technical title is HB 1416/SB 1608, but the charmingly named “Slow Poke Law” is looking to change the way we drive here in Tennessee. Legislators are looking to help ease congestion while making our interstates a little safer to drive on, and they’re using a plan that’s worked in other states to do it. The “Slow Poke Law” is essentially this: if you’re driving on a roadway with three or more lanes, you’d better stay [...]

We are a mobile people; we are constantly on the go. Therefore, we rely on our cars to take us places and to see faces. But we cannot always rely on the roads we drive on, and some roads are safer than others. The federal government has compiled a list of the top ten states whose roads are the most dangerous nationwide. Our great state of Tennessee ranks number ten on this list. Ranking number ten [...]

It’s a nightmare scenario: you’re driving along when all of a sudden your vehicle is hit by another car, or a car stops short in front of you, or you swerve to avoid a deer and you hit a tree. Your car is a wreck, you’re completely shaken up, and you’ve no idea what to do next. At Banks & Jones, we’ve heard stories like these (and so many more) time and time again from drivers [...]

Whether you live or work in Tennessee, or are just passing through on your way to somewhere else, you’d better buckle up. As of January 1, 2016, anyone caught not wearing a seatbelt is in for a new fine. WBBJ Eyewitness News reported that first-time offenders caught without safety restraints are now posed to get hit with a $25 fine. Repeat offenders will see double that amount, as the new fines for them are $50. The [...]

2015 was a pretty terrible year when it came to auto recalls. We saw some truly mind-blowing accounts of defects in hardware and software that car and truck manufacturers pushed forward in the name of the almighty dollar. The silver lining, of course is that the US auto-safety advocates and regulatory committees finally said “Enough is enough!” You might say that 2015 was the year that we all struck back in the name of accountability. Now, [...]

In September of 2015, Volkswagen admitted to circumventing emissions tests on up to 11 million vehicles across the globe, spurring one of the largest – and most costly – recalls in history. This latest recall, however, involves a far more frightening part of the car: the braking system. According to Automotive News, the German auto manufacturer will recall 91,867 vehicles because “’The camshaft lobe has the potential unexpectedly shear off from the camshaft,’ leading to a [...]

As of today, 386 people have died as the result of a car crash in Tennessee; 19 of them have occurred in Knox County. Based on the research out of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there is a chance that up to 25% of those deaths were the result of a broadside, or “T bone,” accident. A broadside collisions occurs when one car, truck or motorcycle, or any motor vehicle, crashes into the side of [...]