Car Accidents

Published on: October 4, 2024

Decline in Auto Accident Wrongful Deaths During First Half of 2024

Preliminary statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show a drop in the number of people killed nationwide in auto accidents during the first 6 months of 2024. This is the 9th consecutive quarterly drop in car accident fatality numbers. It is important to better understand why this drop in auto accident wrongful deaths occurred and to continue to work to improve the numbers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released encouraging news in the form of car accident data for the first half of 2024. The statistics show that there was a 3% drop in the number of auto accident fatalities during the first 6 months of 2024, compared to the same period of time in 2023. The data reveals that there were 18,720 deaths in car accidents between January and July of 2024. This was a drop from the 19,330 deaths that were recorded during the first 6 months of 2023.

This drop came even as there was a slight increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled by Americans in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period of time last year. This year, Americans traveled approximately 0. 8% higher number of vehicle miles or 13.1 billion extra miles, compared to the same period of time in 2023. Overall, 32 states recorded a drop in auto accident deaths during the first half of 2024. This included the state of Georgia which recorded 696 deaths in car accidents during the first six months of 2024, in comparison with 762 deaths during the same period of time last year.

Published on: September 23, 2024

Lack of Insurance and Recovery after Spinal Cord Personal Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Uninsured or under-insured patients, who have suffered spinal cord injuries due to auto accident or other traumatic events, may be much more likely to be taken off life support.

A recent study measured the impact of insurance coverage on the survival and recovery of persons after a spinal cord injury. The study focused on more than 8,400 American adults who had suffered a spinal cord injury, and found that uninsured or under-insured patients were much more likely to be taken off life support much earlier than those with insurance.

Spinal cord injuries are often caused in auto accidents, trucking accidents and motorcycle accidents. These are not just devastating personal injuries with long-term consequences, but are also extremely expensive personal injuries to treat. The costs involved in treating spinal cord injuries can range between $95,000 to well above $1,000,000, depending on the complexity or level of the injury. Spinal cord injuries very often can result in paralysis, which in turn, can lead to a number of other effects on a person’s health.

Published on: September 20, 2024

New Bill Would Require SUVs, Trucks to Protect Pedestrians

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new bill that is expected to be introduced soon would require federal standards for the heights of SUVs and pick-up trucks to also consider pedestrian safety. This is an extremely important change which is likely to save lives in auto accidents involving pedestrians and bicycles.

According to Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pennsylvania), who is introducing the new bill, while there is much that is currently being done to protect occupants inside the vehicle, there is much more that can also be done in order to protect vulnerable users like pedestrians and bicyclists who are outside the vehicle when auto accidents occur.

The popularity of pick-up trucks and SUVs has skyrocketed in the past few decades, and these are some of the most in-demand automobiles on the American roads. Unfortunately, while these are very popular vehicles, their presence on our roads also pose a serious danger to motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. Their large sizes and bulk makes it much more likely that occupants of smaller vehicles will suffer serious personal injuries or wrongful deaths when they are involved in an auto accident with these large SUVs and trucks. There is immense danger to pedestrians and other vulnerable users like bicyclists who are involved in auto accidents with these vehicles.

Published on: September 12, 2024

Minority Groups Disproportionately Affected by Increase in Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Minority groups, including blacks and Hispanic Americans, seem to have been disproportionately affected by the increase in fatal car accidents recorded across the country during the pandemic.

According to new studies, black and Hispanic Americans as well as people with lower educational attainment were the most likely to suffer an impact from the increase in auto accidents between 2020 and 2022. This period of time recorded a significant increase in car accidents with new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety stating that as many as 114,000 people were killed in auto accidents between May 2020 and December 2022. This was a staggering 17% jump in the fatality numbers from before the pandemic.

Teens between the ages of 16 and 19 took the top spot in auto accident wrongful deaths. Overall, young persons between the ages of 20 and 24 also recorded very high increases in car accident numbers during this time. Male drivers were also much more likely to suffer fatal personal injuries in auto accidents between 2020 and 2022, exceeding estimates by as much as 14%.

Published on: September 9, 2024

Study Finds Behavior Interventions can Help Reduce Distracted Driving

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The use of interventions including financial incentives, goals and social competition can significantly help reduce the incidence of distracted driving on our streets.

Distracted driving causes thousands of car accidents in the metro Atlanta region every year. A new study proves that different interventions could be used to help bring about changes in driver behaviors, resulting in motorists being less likely to reach out for their cell phones while driving.

The study was conducted by an insurance provider and divided more than 1500 participants into 5 groups. The first group was the control group which only received information about the dangers of using a handheld cell phone while driving. Group 2 was given a free phone mount, while group 3 was given habit formation tips over a period of several weeks. Groups 4 and 5 were sent text messages about their performance on handheld cell phone use goals, and were given the chance to win or lose points based on their usage. Participants in group 5 were also given the chance to share in a $2000 prize if they met their goals.

Published on: September 4, 2024

More than Half of all Auto Accidents in Georgia Involve Distracted Drivers

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Distracted driving is now one of the biggest auto accident causes in Georgia with a new study finding that more than 50% of all car accidents in the state involve a driver who was distracted at the wheel.

That information comes from the Governors Office of Highway Safety and the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System, which included car accidents that occurred in 2022. The data was is in the Georgia Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, and according to the data, 53% of all car accidents in Georgia in that year involved a confirmed or suspected distracted driver.

The data does not define whether these distractions involved electronic distractions like the use of cell phones while driving. The term “distractions” can mean different types of activities while driving including having conversations with passengers, snacking and drinking, reaching out for things and other types of distracting activities. Any type of distraction that is manual, physical or cognitive can take a person’s attention away from the task of driving and cause an auto accident.

Published on: September 2, 2024

Lighted Crosswalks Can Help Prevent Pedestrian Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Simple design interventions like illuminated crosswalks can make it easier for motorists to see pedestrians at crossings and prevent pedestrian car accidents. A pedestrian car accident often results in severe personal injuries to the pedestrian or his or her wrongful death.

The issue of pedestrian safety is one that has been front and center for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as it grapples with an increase in the number of people being killed in car accidents. Several studies have found that simple improvements to design and infrastructure can help prevent many of these accidents.

Many of these interventions are focused on making pedestrians more visible to drivers. Very often, motorists fail to notice motorists with devastating consequences. A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that something as simple as illuminated crosswalks can make motorists more visible and help reduce the chance of pedestrian car accidents.

Published on: August 27, 2024

Five Tips to Prevent Driving While Drowsy

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car accidents caused directly by drivers who were drowsy at the wheel caused 693 wrongful deaths in 2022.

Drowsiness due to lack of sleep could be because of overwork, a new baby, stress, or a hectic social life. Whatever the reason, the consequence is fewer hours of sleep. Sleep advocacy groups, including the National Sleep Foundation, recommend 8 hours of sleep for the average American adult. Unfortunately, far too many drivers are getting less sleep than the recommended amount, which means that many of them are driving at less than optimum levels of wakefulness and alertness in the morning.

Even getting one hour less sleep a night can affect a person’s ability to drive safely. Drowsiness can mean irritability which, in turn, can affect your judgment and reasoning behind the wheel. It can also mean an inability to pay attention to visual cues on the road, and failure to respond appropriately to stop signs. It can mean getting lost while driving the wrong way, or driving at high speeds.

Published on: August 23, 2024

How a Lower BAC Limit Could Help Prevent Drunk Driving Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Nationwide, the maximum legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is .08. However, most motorists are not aware their auto accident risks begins to increase long before their BAC levels reach that figure.

While .08 is the maximum limit for blood alcohol concentration across the country, the fact is that many motorists, especially light or moderate drinkers, are likely to experience deterioration in their driving abilities that significantly increases their risks of being involved in an auto accident, even at .04 or even lower. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol can impact driving ability even after one drink. The average drink in the United States can result in a blood alcohol concentration of between .02 and .04 for a light to moderate drinker. This is sufficient to affect the person’s vision as well as his or her ability to multitask. Imagine a person with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 trying to drive as well as respond to phone calls at the same time. His or her ability to multitask is markedly reduced, significantly impacting his or her safety and the risks of being involved in a car accident.

When blood alcohol concentration level rises to .05, there is a significant deterioration in driving abilities. At this point, the person is not legally drunk, but his coordination skills are impaired, and he or she might find it difficult to steer effectively. Vision is further reduced during this stage of alcohol intoxication, and he may find it difficult to track moving objects which makes it very dangerous when he is on the road and needs to observe the behaviors of drivers around him. His or her ability to respond to emergency driving situations is also significantly lower at this point. All of these factors increase his or her chances of being involved in a car accident causing serious injuries or even a fatal car accident.

Published on: August 21, 2024

What Family Members Can Do to Prevent Senior Auto Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Senior motorists experience a range of deficiencies in their physical and mental faculties that make it difficult for them to drive safely and increase their risks of being involved in auto accidents. Family members and caregivers have a major role to play in encouraging seniors to give up their car keys when they are no longer in a position to drive safely.

It is important to remember that seniors benefit both physically and mentally from the independence that comes from being mobile and able to drive. However, there may come a time when your loved one is simply unable to drive without being a risk to himself and others. At this point, you must step in and take away the car keys. Remember that failing driving faculties may have more to do other issues than with the person’s age. In other words, you must consider your loved one’s driving performances and abilities, and not just his age while deciding to curtail his driving privileges.

The best way to confirm whether your loved one’s abilities to drive safely are compromised, is to observe him when he is driving. Look for prime indicators of decline in driving skills. These can include failing to stop and check both ways for traffic, failure to stop at red or stop signs, or failure to stay in the lane while driving. A safe driver must be able to drive appropriately for the traffic and weather conditions, and must be able to take into consideration the driving of other motorists, motorcycles and other users of the road while driving.