Accident Prevention

Published on: November 25, 2025

Blackout Wednesday: Stay Safe Before Thanksgiving

The day before Thanksgiving is famously the biggest travel day in the US. Unfortunately, that Wednesday evening is also a big night for bar hopping and binge drinking for young adults, also referred to as “Blackout Wednesday.” The combination of high road traffic and elevated DUI rates leads to a spike in fatalities. Between 2019-2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) reported that drunk driving accidents occurred at a 40% increase during the holidays, and 2021 saw 1,247 fatalities between Thanksgiving and New Years’ due to alcohol-related accidents. In 2025, the potential for incidents has increased, as AAA expects 73 million people on the road for Thanksgiving, a 1.3 million increase from 2024. This number could even rise if more flights continue to be canceled.

Before you get on the road, there are several factors to keep in mind:

Dram Laws: Establishments which serve alcohol have duties to the public through what is called “dram laws.” This applies not only to bars and liquor stores, but also to event spaces serving alcohol, restaurants, convenience stores, and even grocery stores. Dram laws state that owners or servers of these establishments may be held partially liable if a drunk driver injures another party. The following must apply in order for a dram shop lawsuit to take effect:

Published on: October 31, 2025

Severe Weather and Traffic Safety

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

This past week, the metro Atlanta area has been hard-hit by rain from the edges of Hurricane Melissa. Even when there’s not a hurricane, severe weather can create the perfect conditions for motor vehicle accident fatalities.

Common sense would dictate that extremely severe weather causes the greatest number of accidents, but data doesn’t back this up. In fact, among weather-related accidents, regular rainfall accounts for most accidents, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Among accidents from 2013-2022, 74% of accidents occurring during “adverse atmospheric conditions” occurred during rain. By comparison, freezing precipitation, such as snowfall or ice, accounted for 21%. Rainfall is so common, especially in the southeastern portion of the US, that we tend to discount how dangerous it can make driving conditions. A typical rainstorm reduces visibility, combines with oil to create slick roads, and can even cause standing water and flooding. Atlanta roads in particular are notorious for poor drainage, and a simple summer storm can cause flooding on surface streets within an hour. Standing water can cause a vehicle to hydroplane if the vehicle is driving more than 35 mph, a dangerous situation in which the driver loses control of the vehicle and cannot use the brakes. These conditions combine to cause often fatal and injurious accidents.

Take these precautions before you drive in the rain to reduce the risks:

Published on: October 10, 2025

Safety Tips for Parents of Teen Drivers During Fall Break

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Fall break is here for most areas in metro Atlanta, including county schools in Clayton, Dekalb, Douglas, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties. School break means more child pedestrians and cyclists as well as increased teen driving. How can you keep your teen driver safe during fall break, and what are the biggest areas of concern?

DUI: Any Amount is Too High

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 30% of U.S. drivers aged 15-20 years who were killed in motor vehicle accidents had blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.1 g/DL or higher, which is legal intoxication. Teen drivers are already at-risk of impaired driving due to lack of experience, and any amount of intoxication compounds the danger. Make sure your teen driver understands that Georgia has zero tolerance policy laws for all drivers under 21. This means any measurable amount of alcohol is deemed legal intoxication for teen drivers and will result in arrest. Taking away the keys for one night beats arrest and losing your license.

Published on: August 4, 2025

Safety Group Recommends Infrastructure Improvements to Reduce Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

While in – car safety technologies can play a significant role in helping reduce car accident wrongful deaths, state and local officials also need to be looking at infrastructure improvements that can have a more immediate effect on motorist safety.

In-car safety technologies including forward collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems and other types of technologies can play a significant role in reducing the number of people being killed in car accidents every year. In 2025, the number of cars that come with advanced safety features are much higher than they were even a decade back.

However, progress in bringing these technologies to every single American has been slow. The average American automobile is approximately 12 years old, and lacks most of these newer safety features. Safety groups have been pushing for the expansion of these systems in all cars, but it could be years, or even decades, before these safety features are expanded to all cars. In the meantime, Americans continue to die in car accidents caused by distracted driving, speeding and other dangerous behaviors. The delay in expanding these technologies has had deadly consequences. In 2022, the number of people killed in car accidents was at least 30 percent higher than in 2014.

Published on: June 2, 2025

Calls for Preventing Pedestrian Accidents at Night

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

While a Congressional hearing considers the safety impact of daylight savings time changes, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is calling on lawmakers to focus on reducing the risk of car accidents involving pedestrians after sundown. Car accidents involving pedestrians often involve very serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths.

It is no secret that pedestrian accident risks increase significantly during low visibility conditions like during night time. A person’s risk of being struck by a car is far higher when he or she is walking in the dark, compared to when he or she is walking in the daytime. There have been congressional hearings recently to analyze the impact of daylight savings time changes on both motorists as well as pedestrians, and simultaneously, calls from some quarters to eliminate daylight savings time changes altogether, because these changes increase car accident risks. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is calling on lawmakers to focus on a much broader issue instead – the fact that both motorists as well as pedestrians are at risk during low visibility conditions, regardless of daylight savings time changes.

Low visibility simply makes it harder for motorists to see pedestrians in time to avoid hitting them. For this reason, it is important for pedestrians to avoid walking in the dark as much as possible. If you must walk around after sundown, make sure that you are wearing reflective clothing that makes it easier for drivers to spot you. Avoid basic mistakes like walking around in dark-colored clothing. Reflective fluorescent jackets and hats are the ideal clothing to wear in the dark. Look into reflective tape that you can fix on your clothes. Remember, the more visible you are, the more likely a motorist will see you in time to avoid hitting you.

Published on: May 28, 2025

Smartphone Tech Could help Prevent Distracted Driving Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Using a smartphone while behind the wheel of a car significantly increases your risks of being involved in an auto accident. However, your smartphone is also likely to come with technology that actually reduces the risks of a car accident, but most motorists do not use this important technology.

Many smartphones now come with technology that reduces the distractions that come with using a smartphone in the first place. For example, many smartphones now come with “Do not Disturb” features that drivers can activate when they begin driving to avoid having to deal with answering phone calls and replying to text messages while driving. Such technology is proving to be very useful. In fact, a new study published by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds that this technology can be very helpful in reducing distractions and preventing auto accidents.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted the survey and found that younger drivers, who are much more likely to use smartphones while driving, are also the most likely to be aware of such technologies in their smartphones. Older drivers are not as likely to be familiar with Do not Disturb features and other apps that can help eliminate distractions at the wheel. However, far too many drivers continue to drive without activating these technologies in their smartphones.

Published on: May 23, 2025

Georgia Invests in Auto Accident Prevention Efforts

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The state of Georgia recently allocated $2.5 million for personal injury and car accident prevention efforts across the state in the form of several grants.

We definitely need greater investments in the field of auto accident and personal injury prevention in order to help reduce the number of people fatally or seriously injured in auto accidents every year. That means investments in awareness and education campaigns, planning and infrastructure, updating of records and databases, and updates to existing medical and emergency care systems. The recent grants announced in Georgia target several different areas that have long required attention.

The Georgia Department of Public Health has announced an investment of more than $1.7 million in the Injury Prevention Program’s Child Occupant Safety Project. This program promotes the safety of child passengers in automobiles across Georgia, helping provide car seat installation advice and guidance to thousands of parents and caregivers across the state. Child passengers are some of the most vulnerable passengers in any auto accident, and this grant will provide more funds to make sure that training is available not just to parents, but also to medical and health care professionals, emergency responders, firefighters and law enforcement officers. The goal is to make sure personal injuries to these vulnerable passengers are minimized or avoided all together.

Published on: April 24, 2025

Three Things to Do to Prevent Distracted Driving Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In 2023, according to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 3,000 people were killed in car accidents caused by distracted drivers. The month of April is dedicated to commemorating the importance of preventing these car accidents, and is the right time to learn how best to protect yourself against these auto accidents.

According to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2023, 3,275 people were killed in distracted driving-related car accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration includes a number of activities under the term “distracted driving”. These activities include texting and talking on the cell phone while driving, adjusting the radio, taking selfies, applying makeup, smoking and drinking while driving.

The large number of wrongful deaths that are caused each year by distracted drivers in auto accidents is the reason why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration dedicates a special month as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. This April, you are likely to see more content on social media and around you dedicated to making people understand the dangers of being distracted while driving, and encouraging motorists to avoid using their cell phones and avoid distractions while behind the wheel. You are also likely to see more law enforcement officers enforcing Georgia’s laws against using cell phones while driving.

Published on: March 18, 2025

Safety Group Calls for “30 by 30” Auto Accident Wrongful Death Prevention Strategy

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

With hopes for a complete elimination of traffic accident wrongful deaths over the next decade fading swiftly away, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is calling for the adoption of a more practical and achievable short term strategy towards the attainment of the goal. Given the number of wrongful deaths which occur in car accidents, any reduction will be welcomed.

“Vision Zero” is a policy that originated first in Sweden where it was adopted by that country’s parliament with the goal of eliminating all auto accident wrongful deaths and bringing the total number of people being killed in car accidents down to zero over the next decade. That idea caught on quickly around the world as many governments announced their own plans for reducing car accident wrongful death numbers in their countries. The US too was quick to adopt the idea. The US Department of Transportation laid out the policy in detail in its National Roadways Safety Strategy in 2022. That policy outlined the framework of a plan to help eliminate the number of car accident wrongful deaths on our roads through a number of strategies, including better roads, safer vehicles and better drivers.

However, progress towards achieving zero fatalities has been very slow or minimal at best. In fact, the goal seems to be getting further and further out of reach. In 2022, for instance, the year in which the administration announced the National Roadways Safety Strategy, more than 42,500 people died in auto accidents across the country. That was an increase of nearly 30% from 2014, a mere 8 years earlier.

Published on: March 4, 2025

Enforcement is Key to Preventing Auto Accident Wrongful Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Enforcement of traffic laws, including those against drunk driving and speeding, need to be a major part of any auto accident prevention program by state and federal governments. These are the types of traffic law violations which lead to very serious car accidents resulting in catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful deaths.

The role that traffic enforcement can play in accident prevention tends to be a controversial topic. However, a recent piece in The Atlantic calls for increasing traffic enforcement in order to help reduce the number of people involved in serious auto accidents. The article refers to experiments in other states that have chosen to decrease traffic enforcement, consequently leading to an increase in the number of car accidents and accident – related catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful deaths in these states.

Many car accident prevention programs these days focus heavily on the role of road design in preventing car accidents. However, there are many types of accidents that are not impacted or hindered by optimum road design. For example, a large part of the spike in auto accident wrongful deaths in recent years is linked to the increase in the number of car accidents occurring at night. Many of these auto accidents are speeding- related car accidents or drunk driving auto accidents that have very little to do with road design. These accidents are often connected to low levels of traffic enforcement. Simply put, if these speeding drivers and drunk motorists are fined for violations and taken off the streets, we are more likely to see a decline in car accident numbers.