The New Year's Eve holidays typically see large numbers of serious and fatal accidents involving intoxicated motorists. The alcohol flows freely over New Year's, and according to some statistics, more drunk driving take place during this holiday than any other holiday of the year. This year, the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety issued technology to reach out to motorists, and help them get a safe ride home. 

The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety collaborated with a number of safety partners to compile a list of sober ride programs that intoxicated motorists were able to access to make sure that they reach home safe on New Year's. The list of programs was compiled and made available as a smartphone application. The application is called Drive Sober Georgia. You can still download the application on your iPhone or Android phones. 

All people have to do to get a safe and sober ride home is use this app, and it'll guide you through the process. No matter where you were in Georgia this past New Year's Eve, you could access the application to find a safe ride home, like the Tow-to-Go program by the AAA, which allows motorists to get their cars towed home safely. 

If your guests go off driving under the influence, they may change forever the lives of another person or family as well as their own life if they are in a drunk driving accident. In addition, their chances of being arrested for DUI increase significantly because of increased law enforcement activity during this period of time. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is currently underway across Georgia, and is specifically targeted at pulling intoxicated motorists off the road.   

The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Law Firm represent persons who have been injured in automobile accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you have been injured in an accident, speak with a car accident lawyer at our firm

Last year, 32,885 people died in auto accidents across the United States. That was a drop of 2.9% from 2009. These were the lowest traffic accident death numbers on record since 1949. These accident fatality numbers have declined even as the number of miles being driven by American motorists increased in 2010. In fact, there was a drop in almost all categories of car accident deaths last year, including drunk driving accidents. 

However, pedestrians were not safer in 2010. Pedestrian accident deaths actually increased last year by about 4.2% from 2009. Further, the number of persons who suffered a personal injury in pedestrian accidents in the United States increased by a staggering 19 %. Overall, more than 70,000 pedestrians were injured in accidents last year. That increase is puzzling considering that it comes after 4 straight years of declining pedestrian accident death numbers in the US. 

Federal transportation officials do not have any explanation for this increase in pedestrian accident fatality numbers. However, the data is still new, and we may have more answers in the months ahead.   There are some theories about the reasons for this increase. According to Transportation for America, a pedestrian advocacy organization, there has been an increase in the number of people walking and biking to work in recent months. However, even though there has been an increase in the number of pedestrians, safety conditions have not really improved. 

There's also some speculation that an increase in pedestrian distractions is also contributing to increasing accident numbers. However, Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyers find that hard to believe. There seems to be little evidence to indicate that there has been any increase in pedestrian distractions, like cell phone use while walking.

Unfortunately, this particular area of traffic safety seems to suffer from a lack of research. There is very little solid data available about pedestrian and motorist behaviors as far as pedestrian safety is concerned. However, there are some details that are accepted as fact. For instance, drunk driving seems to be a major factor in pedestrian accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009, approximately 40% of all pedestrian accident deaths in the country were caused by drunk drivers. Atlanta pedestrian accident attorneys expect safety initiatives in the months ahead to focus on both distracted driving and drunk driving involving both pedestrian and motorists.

The Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyers at the Katz Law Firm represent pedestrians who have been injured in accidents in the Atlanta region and across Georgia.

Parents received calls from their children on the bus, who noted that their driver was driving erratically and was dozing off at the wheel.  The frantic parents called the school, and school authorities got in touch with the police.  The driver, Carole Crockett was later arrested.  She has been charged with DUI with a minor, endangering the welfare of a child, disorderly conduct and a number of other charges. 

Police conducted breath tests, and found that Crockett registered at a startling .25% on the test.  She is a commercial bus driver, and therefore, her maximum allowed BAC level is .04%, compared to the .08% that is allowed for other motorists.  On a side note, this is one instance where Atlanta car accident lawyers are really glad that the children on the school bus happened to have their cell phones with them and used them.  With a BAC concentration of .25%, it's highly likely that this driver would have caused an accident.

There are lessons from this incident for schools and bus drivers in the state of Georgia too.  When parents drop children off at a bus stop, they don't expect to entrust their child to a person who is too intoxicated to see straight.  School districts, boards and schools must take their responsibility to higher competent drivers for their buses very seriously.  There is a significant risk of accidents and personal injury when a commercial bus or truck driver is driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.  This is the reason why there are stricter blood-alcohol limit rules for commercial drivers.

Intoxicated driving is dangerous enough when it is motorists driving under the influence of alcohol, but when commercial truck and bus drivers do so, the consequences for the driver and other people in the vicinity can be devastating.

The Atlanta bus accident lawyers at the Katz Law Firm represent injured victims of bus accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.

According to DeKalb police, the driver of a westbound vehicle crashed into a sports utility vehicle that was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes. The driver of the westbound car sustained fatal injuries in the crash. The wrong way driver also suffered injuries in the auto accident.

Investigations into the car accident have begun, and investigators now believe that the driver of the sport-utility vehicle was traveling in the wrong direction. These investigations are likely to also include blood-alcohol tests to determine if the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol. 

Many wrong-way driving accidents that Atlanta car accident attorneys come across involve people who have been driving under the influence of alcohol, and make a wrong turn. In fact, according to some estimates, alcohol use is a factor in between 50% and 70% of all wrong way driving accidents.

Some of the most frequent wrong way driving scenarios involve a motorist turning onto a one-way street in the opposite direction, or driving on the wrong freeway entrance ramp. A wrong way driver may also drive on the wrong side of the road or highway with terrible consequences. Wrong way driving is strongly linked to intoxicated driving. That is the reason why so many of these accidents occur at night, because most drunk driving also takes place at night. Such car accidents can also be blamed on failure to notice highway signs and signals. Visibility is poor during the night time, and moreover, an intoxicated motorist may not be able to see signs that say “Wrong Way” or “Do Not Enter.”

Unfortunately, in many these situations, there is little that other motorists can do to avoid an accident. At freeway speeds, a vehicle going the wrong way may collide with your vehicle before you even have time to react. This is especially so because many wrong way driving accidents occur at night. Moreover, other motorists are not prepared for the sight of a vehicle barreling down towards them, and may be unable to react in time.

The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Law Firm represent persons injured in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you have been injured in a car accident in Atlanta, speak with a car accident attorney at our firm.

According to azcentral.com, in the year 2009, 1,772 people died in accidents involving the wrong way driver. In all these accidents, a driver drove on the wrong side of the road, or towards oncoming traffic. 2009 had the highest number of wrong way driving deaths in five years.

The national focus on wrong way driving and its lethal impact spiked after a New York accident blamed on a wrong way driver killed eight people. In July 2009, a Long Island resident was driving her SUV in the opposite direction, when her vehicle crashed into an oncoming car. The woman and four children in her car died in the accident. The three occupants of the car also died. It was later found that the woman had been driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. She had a large number of drinks and had used marijuana before she began driving that day.

In fact, this is a common pattern that Atlanta car accident lawyers find in accidents related to wrong way driving. Most of the time, these drivers are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and miss signs or make wrong entrances. Other times, wrong way driving is the result of a medical condition when a person feels confused or disoriented at the wheel, and makes an error. A driver who is traveling in a new neighborhood or is new to the city may also be likely to make mistakes, although adequate signage can help reduce the occurrence of errors. Additionally, serious driving errors can also be made if state and local transportation safety agencies have not maintained adequate signage, leading to confusion and mistakes. According to some studies, most drivers quickly realize their error, and turn around to avoid an accident. However, many continue to drive, with serious consequences.

Preventing wrong way driving can be a challenge. Often, these drivers are intoxicated, and fail to notice signs that they're driving in the wrong direction. Many state transportation agencies have been experimenting with new signs like “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” to alert motorists. The signs however do not work if the motorist is too drunk to read or comprehend them. 

The Atlanta car accident attorneys at the Katz Law Firm represent persons injured in automobile and car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.

The Governors Highway Safety Association joined state and local highway safety agencies to crack down on drunk drivers. Local law enforcement officers ran an intensified campaign aimed at pulling drunk drivers off the streets before they caused an accident, and injure or kill someone. Drunk driving accidents result in a significant number of serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2009, close to 50% of auto accident fatalities that occurred on Halloween night involved a drunk motorist. In these cases, the motorist had a blood-alcohol concentration of .08% or higher.  Every year, the period between 6 PM on October 31 and 5:59 AM on November 1 is a highly dangerous time for pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers in Atlanta.

Halloween is typically a more dangerous time for pedestrians, because of the higher numbers of pedestrians on the streets. However, for a motorist driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, these accident hazards become heightened. Consider that many pedestrians out on Halloween will be young children below the age of 12, dressed to the nines and out trick-or-treating. Many of these children will be wearing dark clothing that may render them invisible at night. Moreover, safety is the last thing on the mind for many trick-or-treaters, or even adult drivers rushing to a Halloween party. Now, consider the increased accident risks when you introduce a drunk driver into this situation. 

Whether on Halloween or any other day, law enforcement in Georgia would like all motorists to keep their eyes open for intoxicated drivers. If you ever spot a drunk motorist, inform 911 immediately. A motorist who is weaving between lanes, driving erratically, driving at excessive speeds or driving the wrong way could be driving under the influence. Early action on your part could possibly prevent a serious or even fatal accident.

Halloween revelers must plan a safe way to get back home after the celebrations are done. Be sure to designate a sober driver for the evening. If that is not possible, arrange to have someone pick you up at your venue and take you home. If all fails, hire a local taxi service.

The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Law Firm represent persons injured in car accidents in the Metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you have been injured in a car accident, speak with a car accident lawyer at our firm.

This case again brings attention to the debate of whether “dram shops” should be held liable for failing to “take the keys” from patrons who appear to be intoxicated or have consumed one too many alcoholic beverages. And again, the jury’s response to this question seems to be a resounding yes. Originally, the term "dram shop" referred to colonial times when taverns used units of liquid measurement called drams to serve alcohol. Today, dram shop liability in Georgia means that that bars, taverns, liquor stores, and other businesses (including grocery and convenience stores) that purvey alcoholic beverages may be held liable for the damages caused by their patrons.

The Dram Shop Act and similar laws are meant to curb instances of selling alcohol to minors and to individuals who are visibly intoxicated. It appears to be a broad and far-reaching theory that reaches even into the recesses of private homes as even owners or social hosts who serve alcohol to guests at a private party, have a responsibility to avoid serving alcoholic beverages to a person who is visibly intoxicated.

However, be advised that just because you may have been involved in an accident where the driver had a blood alcohol level that is over the limit, does not necessarily mean that you will automatically have an additional claim against the entity that served the liquor, beer or wine. It is necessary to first demonstrate that the server knew, or should have known that the patron was intoxicated upon serving the last alcoholic beverage. This standard is commonly known as a “constructive” or “implied” standard.

Under Georgia law, those who injure themselves as a result of their own intoxication are not permitted to recover damages from the establishment that provided them with the alcohol.

The new initiative was launched by the National Drug Control Policy and Mothers against Drunk Driving. The partnership will increase awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs. According to Mothers against Drunk Driving, it has already launched a nationwide campaign against driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs. MADD is also pushing for tougher law enforcement to enforce laws against driving under the influence of narcotics. The drug control policy office will also be releasing educational materials about the dangers of drugged driving, targeted at parents and teenagers.

Driving under the influence of drugs has an adverse effect on a motorist’s driving abilities. These effects are similar to the effects of intoxicated driving. A motorist’s judgment and abilities may be impacted, and his responses may be weakened. Additionally, drugs can affect a person's motor abilities and his coordination, impacting his driving. 

The time is right for an initiative like this. According to the drug policy office, 3,952 drivers who were killed in car accidents in 2009 tested positive for drugs. Drivers under the age of 25 were at the highest risk of drugged driving. One out of every four drivers killed in car accidents linked to drugged driving belonged to this age group. That accounts for 18% of all fatalities that year. 

Male and female drivers were involved in accidents involving different types of drugs. For instance, women were more likely to be involved in accidents involving drivers under the influence of depressants. Male drivers were more likely to be involved in accidents involving the use of stimulants and cannabinoids. Federal data also shows a large number of drivers driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs. Among those drivers who tested positive for drug use after an accident, about 50% had alcohol also in their system.

At least part of this increase in drugged driving car accident deaths has to do with the fact that federal and state agencies have ignored the threat from driving under the influence of alcohol. Most of the focus has been on drunk driving, and drugged driving has not received the attention it deserves.

The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Law Firm represent persons injured in car accidents across Atlanta and Georgia. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investing $2.2 million in the development of the in-vehicle touch-based alcohol testing device. The agency, through the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety and the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety has invested in a company called TruTouch Technologies. This company says that it has developed the world's first touch-based alcohol detection device that can be installed in vehicles. 

The device can be used to detect alcohol on a motorist through infrared light. All that the motorist has to do is place his finger on the infrared sensor device, and the device detects alcohol levels within seconds. If the device finds that the alcohol content is beyond a specified limit, then it will disable the starter, preventing drivers from driving the car. What's more, the device will prevent tampering with the system by recording the person’s biometric information, so that another person cannot use the device to cheat the system. 

These devices are somewhat similar to ignition interlock devices that are currently mandated in the vehicles of certain drunk driving offenders in some states. These devices however, require a motorist to blow into them. If the device finds that the motorist’s breath exceeds a specified alcohol level, then the device shuts down the engine, preventing the driver from starting the car. In many states, these devices are mandated in the vehicles of repeat DUI offenders, although some states also require them to be used in the vehicles of first-time DUI offenders.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration certainly seems to think so, judging by the $2.2 million that the agency has invested in these efforts. The grant is meant to encourage more research into the development of the In-Vehicle Alcohol Detection Test. According to the company, the device will be available on vehicles within this decade. 

The decline of drunk driving accident deaths in Georgia has been, in part, because of an increase in DUI laws and the lowered public acceptance of intoxicated driving. It's time to take the war against drunk driving to the next level, by making it impossible for intoxicated drivers to drive at all.

The Atlanta auto accident attorneys at the Katz Law Firm represent persons injured in car accidents across the metro Atlanta region and Georgia.

The teen driver was 17 years old at the time of the accident. He was driving with two teenagers in his car, when his car flipped over. A sixteen-year-old teenage passenger was killed in the accident and another teenager was seriously injured. Last week, the driver pleaded guilty to charges of drunk driving and vehicle manslaughter, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

The three teenagers had been at a party in Douglasville, where a lot of teenagers were drinking alcohol. Several people have already been charged with supplying alcohol to minors in this case. According to authorities, many of these people supplied alcohol to teenagers at two different parties that the victim attended on the night of the accident. 

Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 in the United States. The number of teenagers dying in accidents has remained more or less consistent, even as the overall number of people dying in traffic accidents has dropped.

Additionally, teen drivers may be more susceptible to drunk driving, because of a lack of appreciation for the risks of DUI. Underage drinking is a serious problem in Georgia, and when you combine alcohol use with a teen driver’s limited driving experiences, the consequences can be deadly.

There are other reasons why these motorists are such a high-risk category of drivers. They may be more prone to recklessness, especially when they're driving with friends. Teenagers are at a high risk of accidents when they are traveling with teenage passengers. This is not just because of peer pressure that encourages dangerous driving practices like recklessness or drunk riving, but also the distracting effect of having passengers in the car. Distracted driving among teen motorists involves not just the use of cell phones and texting devices, but also distractions from friends in the car. This is why a teenager’s risk of an accident increases with the number of teen passengers in the car. It is also the reason why many graduated driver’s licensing programs place restrictions on the number of teenagers that a teen driver can have in his car while driving.

The accident occurred on October 1, 2006 when the man ran a red light and crashed into a taxicab.   The crash killed a thirty-one-year-old woman and left two men severely injured. The victim left behind a three-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son.

The lawyer pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and serious injury by vehicle while driving under the influence. It later emerged that he had four prior DUI offenses on his record. In fact, on the day of the accident, he was on probation from a previous DUI, and had been ordered not to drive.

In the year 2009, there were 1,284 traffic accident fatalities in the state of Georgia. Out of these, 394 deaths occurred in drunk driving accidents. That is approximately 31% of traffic accident fatalities traced to drivers under the influence of alcohol. Out of these, 331 deaths involved accidents in which the driver was driving with an alcohol level of or greater than .08%, which is the legal limit for alcohol intoxication. 

It's no secret that drunk driving accident deaths have been down over the past decade. We have law enforcement to thank for that. Increased enforcement, more effective use of sobriety checkpoints and initiatives by local and state agencies supported by the federal administration, have meant a decline in wrongful deaths occurring from intoxicated driving. Additionally, there has been an attitude change as far as drunk driving is concerned. There is now lowered acceptance of driving under the influence of alcohol. 

However, every year, far too many people die in accidents that are caused because motorists could not resist driving after a few drinks. Driving in an intoxicated state can leave a person with severely inhibited response times. A person driving under the influence of alcohol is less likely to be able to respond quickly to important visual cues, like a pedestrian appearing in a crosswalk in front. 

Additionally, alcohol clouds a person's judgment, and leaves an individual incapable of judging important accident risks, like the speed and behavior of other motorists. Alcohol has another even more deadly impact on a person’s driving skills. It can increase a person's feelings of recklessness, and lowered inhibitions. A person may be more likely to engage in reckless driving practices like speeding, tailgating and may be more susceptible to road rage.

The Atlanta car accident lawyers are at the Katz Kaw Firm represent persons injured in automobile and car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.

The circumstances surrounding the incident further explain why the law has been hailed as a breakthrough regulation by many personal injury attorneys, who hope to see the law being picked up by other states and foresee its enforcement successfully increasing the safety of the state’s public highways.

The law is named for Hailey French, a woman who was severely injured in a head-on collision. The driver responsible had been arrested for DUI and released by law enforcement officers less than two hours earlier. The lawsuit brought against the driver and Washington officials alleged that officers failed to install a court-ordered alcohol ignition interlock device in the driver’s car after her previous DUI arrest.  Instead, the arresting officer drove her home, and handed her the car keys with a warning to sober up. After he left, the drunk driver took a taxi back to her car, got back on the road, and crossed the center line before hitting Hailey French. 

 “We all know to take away the keys of a person who is drunk. This law, finally, does that,” said French’s attorney, Dean Brett.    As a  car accident attorney in Atlanta  who is well-versed with the statistics of fatality car crashed involving DUIs, I would have to agree. It’s definitely a move that jails both the drunk driver and his mode of transportation. The 12 hour impound requirement, in theory, really forces the driver to take time to “cool off” and sober up before getting back behind the wheel and on the road. I would suggest that the period should probably be at least 24 hours and the person should have to undergo a breathalyzer before getting the keys back.

As a car accident attorney in Atlanta, Georgia, I come into contact with similar claims involving drunk drivers. When I heard about this particular ruling, I immediately honed in on the fact that the man was said to be visibly intoxicated at the time the alcohol was purchased. Another article by The Florida Times-Union notes the Court’s application of the “dram shop act” to its reasoning. The law states that anyone who knowingly sells or provides alcohol to someone who is noticeably intoxicated while knowing that the person will soon be driving may be liable if the alcohol is the direct cause of an injury.

In his opinion for the majority, Justice Hugh Thompson reasoned that the act was all-inclusive, meaning that it was intended to encompass the sale of alcohol at places other than the “proverbial dram shop” or bar. On the other hand, Justice Robert Benham, dissenting, concluded this was an unfair interpretation of the act because clerks at grocery stores and convenience stores often experience a lesser degree of interaction with patrons. Ostensibly, he claims, this affords them little opportunity to really judge the sobriety customers.

While I do understand Justice Benham’s concerns, I would have to disagree. In my opinion it often only takes a few seconds to assess soberness. Slurred words and instability, along with many other factors, are often a good indicator that someone may be impaired. In light of the fact that this particular culprit’s blood alcohol content exceeded the limit immediately after the crash, the clerk serving him at Exprezit! was probably given reason to pause. For this reason, Justice Benham is right on another point; the implications of this decision could definitely be far-reaching. Small businesses that were previously impervious to liability may now be much more susceptible to such claims.

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Ryan Dunn, the star of the popular “Jackass” movies was killed in a car accident that occurred in Pennsylvania. Dunn was traveling with his passenger and friend, when the car crashed. The vehicle exploded in flames, and both occupants were killed instantly. Tests later determined that the star had been driving with blood alcohol concentration level of more than twice the .08% DUI Limit. 

Drinking over and above capacity seems to have been a factor in the accident. Just a few minutes before the accident, Dunn had Tweeted a picture of him and his friends having a few drinks at the bar. According to staff at the bar, Dunn only bought about 8 beverages, but was served several alcoholic drinks by fans at the bar who wanted to buy him drinks. In fact, police believe that it was these last few drinks that he had that helped send his blood-alcohol levels over the edge.

This summer, Atlanta car accident attorneys expect to see more numbers of accidents involving motorists who are driving under the influence of alcohol. Coincidently, there have been a number of studies coming out about the devastating impact that even a few drinks can have. The same month that Ryan Dunn died in a high-profile drunk driving accident, researchers released the findings of a study which found that even motorists driving under the influence of a couple of drinks, can be impaired enough to cause an accident that ends with serious injuries. Researchers found that the extent and severity of injuries in an accident increases even when a motorist is driving under the legal limit. 

There are a number of ways alcohol can affect a person's ability to drive safely. It dramatically slows down your reaction times, making it harder for you to react immediately when you see a pedestrian in front of you, or when a car makes a turn in front of you. People driving under the influence of alcohol also have a hard time judging the speed and behavior of other motorists around, often a critical factor in accidents. Besides, alcohol use affects your balance, impacting the manner in which you react to situations. 

One of the most deadly effects of drunk driving is that it gives drivers a false sense of confidence, and even encourages recklessness. A person driving under the influence is likely to feel an adrenaline rush, and shedding of inhibitions. This contributes to reckless driving practices like speeding that can further increase the risks of accidents and injuries.

According to the study, a person may be at risk of causing auto accidents with serious injuries even when he's driving with barely traceable alcohol levels in his blood. The researchers analyzed accident data involving 1.5 million people. The researchers focused on those accidents involving the most serious injuries, and compared them to those accidents in which the injuries were relatively minor.

They found that accidents, in which the person was driving even with a .01% concentration of alcohol in his blood, were more likely to end in seriously injurious accidents than those accidents involving sober motorists. Specifically, accidents seemed to be at least 36.6% more severe when one of the motorists was driving under the influence of barely traceable levels of alcohol. In comparison, accidents were much less injurious, when the persons involved were not driving under the influence of alcohol in their system. This indicates that even a single alcoholic beverage can be sufficient to impair a person seriously enough to cause an accident that ends with serious injuries. Atlanta drunk driving accident attorneys  have observed these issues for years, but it’s good to have a study to confirm our experience.

In order to avoid accidents like this, Atlanta car accident attorneys strongly advise refraining from drinking if you plan to drive. A BAC level even below the .08% limit could affect your ability to drive, and you may not even be aware of it. A designated driver can be a great help when you plan to drink. Wealso find many people who may not be aware of their low capacity for alcohol, with possibly dangerous consequences when the person is driving after having a drink or two. 

The study specifically points to the increased risk of injuries when a person is driving under the influence of alcohol, but Atlanta car accident attorneys have been aware of the high risk of accidents from drunk driving for years now. Drunk driving accidents typically tend to be high-impact accidents, because these very often involve speeding and reckless driving. 

A person driving under the influence of alcohol is likely to be feeling lightheaded and buzzed, and is more likely to shed his inhibitions. He may be more prone to reckless and aggressive driving practices. These can include not just speeding, but also driving through red lights, and failure to obey traffic laws. Driving under the influence can also contribute to fatigue and drowsiness, further increasing the person's risk of an accident. Additionally, driving under the influence of alcohol increases a person's risk of undesirable driving behaviors, like inattention, running red lights and distracted driving. All of this increases a person's risk of being involved in a serious or even fatal accident. See, Small Amount of Alcohol Can Impair Driving.

The researchers analyzed data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. They found that in approximately a quarter of the fatal accidents during this period of time, the motorist tested positive for drugs, while 37% had blood-alcohol levels greater than the .08% legally allowed limit. The most common drugs that were involved in fatal accidents were amphetamines, marijuana and cocaine. One of the first thing Car accident attorneys look for in any wrongful death accident is the involvement of drugs or alcohol.

Certain drugs seem to be linked to certain kinds of reckless driving practices. For instance, stimulants were linked to most wrongful death accidents, especially those that involve speeding, inattention, and failure to obey traffic laws. Stimulants were also linked to accidents in which occupants were not wearing seat belts. On the other hand, marijuana was most often linked to failure to wear seatbelts, and driving at excessive speeds.

The researchers also looked at accidents that involved the use of both drugs and alcohol, and found that a combination of drugs and alcohol did not seem to increase the risks of impaired driving. When the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol alone, then alcohol was the main contributing factor in the impaired driving, and it did not really matter if the driver had been using other drugs too. The effect of drugs only seems to kick in if the driver had not been drinking alcohol.

The study focused on the link between non-prescription drugs or narcotics and the likelihood of impaired driving accidents. However, there are other types of drugged driving that Atlanta car accident attorneys are concerned about. There is increasing evidence of accidents caused by persons driving under the influence of prescription drugs. The number of Americans on medications for diabetes, hypertension and a host of other conditions has increased, and that has meant more numbers of people driving under the influence of not just one drug, but a combination of drugs. The interactions between these drugs could impair a person's ability to drive safely, increasing the risks of an accident. See, Drugs and Driving.

The legislation, called the Safe Roads Act, has been introduced by US Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman. The legislation would implement the recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office, advising the establishment of a driver test database. The database would contain information about positive drug test results from commercial truck and bus drivers from around the country. 

The database can be used by trucking companies before they hire a prospective employee. Doctors, trucking companies and service agents would be required to furnish updated and accurate information about positive drug test results. With accurate, reliable and frequently updated information available, trucking companies would be able to make safe hiring decisions, thereby reducing the risk of trucking accidents involving one of their vehicles.

Currently, truck drivers with a drug use history are able to find employment because they conceal this information from their future employers. Often, trucking companies do not have access to the information they need to hire a safer driver. Both of these problems can be solved with the establishment of the database. 

Commercial motor vehicle drivers are at a high risk of drug use and abuse. The trucking industry has always denied that there's a problem with truck drivers who are able to find jobs at trucking companies even with a prior history of drug use. However, Atlanta truck accident attorneys have been aware for a while that the current system is rife with loopholes that fail to keep such drivers out of the system.

The accident occurred on Saturday night, and involved a total of three vehicles. According to Gwinnett County police, a car traveling the wrong way veered across the median and crashed head-on into another vehicle. The car then flipped over, and crashed into a third vehicle. A woman was killed in the accident. Two other people, including the wrong way driver, suffered critical injuries. Police are investigating the accident, but no charges have been filed yet. Police are considering the possibility that the wrong way driver may have been driving under the influence of alcohol.

Every year, approximately 300 people are killed in accidents caused by wrong way motorists. Many of these accidents are caused because motorists are driving under the influence of alcohol, and end up traveling in the opposite direction. Alcohol use is the most common cause of wrong way driving. It's not so surprising to Atlanta car accident attorneys that alcohol use is so often cited in wrong way driving. Alcohol use clouds a person's judgment, blurs his vision and affects his powers of reasoning. A person like this is also likely to miss highway street signs, ending with him driving in the opposite direction.

The data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to the analysis, the number of male and female car accident deaths in other age groups has been steadily declining over the past few years. Even drunk driving accident deaths have declined over the past five years, helped by a lowered tolerance to intoxicated driving, and stronger enforcement. However according to the data, the number of adult males aged between 51 and 65 years killed in auto accidents, increased by almost 25% between 2000 and 2009. In comparison, car accident deaths for all male drivers during the same period of time declined by more than 20%. Even auto accident deaths for female drivers declined by about 20% during the study period.

According to the analysts, it's not just the increase in male car accident deaths in this age group that is concerning, but also the fact that much of this increase is related to drunk driving accidents. In fact, when it comes to drunk driving accident deaths, there has been an increase in fatalities among both men and women in this age group. The number of annual DUI deaths among baby boomers increased by 37% between 2000 and 2009. During the same period of time, rates of drunk driving accident fatalities across the country dropped by almost 7%.

Much of the attention on traffic safety has focused on teen and young drivers. However, this analysis seems to indicate that older motorists, who should know better, are failing to follow the advice that they dole out to youngsters.

As an Atlanta injury lawyer,  I often find that a significant number of wrongful deaths and serious personal injuries arise from drunk driving accidents involving repeat offenders. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the use of ignition interlock devices is successful in preventing repeat drunk driving. Such prevention would unquestionably result in a reduction in drunk driving accidents, injuries and deaths. Each and every Atlanta injury lawyer should advocate for the use of these devices.

The study found that recidivism rates for DUI dropped by approximately 67% when ignition interlock devices were used. Many states including Georgia, have adopted alcohol ignition interlock devices as part of their efforts against DUI. In Georgia, persons convicted of DUI can be ordered by courts to have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicles if they have prior DUI convictions too. The device requires drivers to blow into it, and measures the alcohol on his breath. If the alcohol content is found to be excessive, the device prevents the motorist from starting the engine. The researchers say that these devices are so useful in preventing drunk driving accidents, that they should be made a mandatory part of DUI prevention efforts around the country. As an injury lawyer, I couldn’t agree more.

Ignition interlock devices receive a lot of criticism from DUI attorneys and the beverage industry. However, these devices have become more sophisticated, accurate and reliable over the years. It's much harder to “fool” an ignition interlock system now than it used to be a couple of years ago. Some devices require the user to hum while breathing into the tube. 

The most effective way to prevent drunk drivers from attempting to drive in an intoxicated state again, is to simply shut the engine down if they are intoxicated. No engine, no accidents. License suspensions, fines and penalties have a very limited effect on reducing DUI recidivism rates.