Car Accidents

Published on: March 21, 2025

New Study Confirms Link Between Brain Injury and Dementia

Persons who have suffered a traumatic brain injury have a much higher risk of developing dementia down the road. A new study not only underscores this fact, but also determines that changes in vascular cells can affect the onset of dementia in persons who have suffered a brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries often occur in car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and slip and falls.

For decades now, scientists have been aware that suffering a brain injury significantly increases the risk that a person will develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease down the road. However, recent studies have identified the exact molecular mechanism behind the personal injury that can bring about dementia earlier. In this new study, scientists discovered that alterations to the vascular smooth muscle cells lead to an increase in the build-up of proteins called amyloid beta, which are strongly linked to Alzheimer’s disease. What the scientists found even more surprising is that even younger persons who are typically not at risk of dementia suffered a similar increased risk, supported by the vascular muscle cell changes following the brain injury. The researchers concluded that understanding the changes to the vascular cells is crucial to understanding how trauma can impact dementia risks and circumventing or mitigating those risks all together.

Brain injuries can result in a significant number of changes in a person’s mental and physical health. Even a moderate brain injury can result in cognitive challenges, memory problems, difficulties in concentration and attention, impaired motor skills and a number of other challenges that make it difficult for the person to live a normal life. All of these difficulties make it hard for the person to be productive or earn a living. Working even a routine job can become challenging. For example, motor coordination problems can manifest in a large number of brain injury victims, and these can significantly impact the victim’s earning potential if he is working in a manual job, or one that requires dexterity.

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 13, 2025

Bigger Vehicles May Not Necessarily be Safer

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

It is no secret that American SUVs and pick up trucks are extremely popular on our roads and highways. However, a new study seems to indicate that super-sized vehicles are not necessarily safer for their occupants, while becoming even more dangerous for occupants of other vehicles in car accidents with them.

Americans have long preferred larger vehicles, not just because of their looks and style, but also because they are believed to be safer in auto accidents. To a large extent, this is true. A large Chevrolet Suburban, for instance, packs a greater punch, and offers much greater protection to its occupants in the event of an auto accident, compared to a smaller passenger car like a sedan. The bigger bulk means less damage to the vehicle in the case of an accident, and a lower risk of blunt force trauma to the occupants. This is why these cars are considered ideally suited for high-risk groups like teenage drivers.

Unfortunately, cars on American streets are becoming much bigger and bulkier. Giant cars that are almost double the height of smaller sedans are fairly common now on our roads. A new study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety finds that while the increasing size of cars makes them more dangerous to the occupants of other vehicles on the road, it does not necessarily mean greater protection for the occupants of the large vehicle. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study, in the case of occupants of vehicles that were lesser than the fleet average in weight, the fatality risk was lower with every 500 pounds of additional weight. In the case of vehicles that were heavier in weight than the fleet average, the protection to occupants was not necessarily higher. In fact, there was barely any drop in the risk of wrongful death for the occupants of these super -sized vehicles.

Published on: February 28, 2025

Calls For More Research into Effects of Marijuana on Car Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There has been plenty of evidence – driven research into the effects of alcohol on a person’s auto accident risks, but not nearly as much effort has been put into investigating the impact of marijuana or cannabis on a person’s driving abilities. There is a significant likelihood that the use of marijuana may increase the risk of car accidents since it may slow reaction time.

Millions of Americans use marijuana. According to some statistics, in 2023 more than 61 million Americans admitted to using marijuana at least once in the past year. Those numbers have been rising steadily over the years. In 2013, only about 7% of adult Americans admitted to using marijuana. By 2023, approximately 15% of all Americans admitted to using marijuana. Many states have also legalized the use of marijuana, and have found a significant impact on their car accident rates since the legalization of the drug. While Georgia does not have laws that allow the use of marijuana, the state does see thousands of car accidents every year caused by people who are driving under the influence of cannabis.

Researchers say that with the growing use of marijuana across the country, it is important to investigate the amount of the drug that a person can have in his system before it begins to affect his driving abilities. There is much that we know about the impact of alcohol on a person’s driving abilities and this is the reason why we have laws that make it illegal for persons to operate a motor vehicle when they have more than the allowed blood alcohol concentration. In all 50 states, including Georgia, that limit is 08. There has been no such intensive research into the amount of marijuana that can seriously affect a person’s driving abilities.

Published on: February 25, 2025

Do Reflective Clothes Increase Risk of Pedestrian Car Accidents?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

For decades, pedestrian safely experts have advocated the wearing of reflective pieces of clothing in order to make pedestrians more visible to motorists. However, new studies seem to suggest that these reflective clothes make pedestrians not -so – visible to accident prevention technologies.

Reflective clothes are recommended for pedestrians to make them visible to motorists in low visibility conditions. If you are out walking at night, you should be wearing neon – colored or reflective materials on your clothes that can help motorists see you. That also goes for bicyclists and highway workers, especially at night and in other low visibility conditions. In fact, experts also recommend that bicyclists stick reflective tape on their vehicles to make them even more visible in the dark. All of these measures have always been considered an effective way to prevent auto accidents.

However, a new study seems to suggest that these reflective clothes could actually render these people invisible to automated crash avoidance systems. Collision avoidance technologies are available on a majority of American cars now with most automakers now offering vehicles that come with these technologies. In the new study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, researchers studied the effect of cars that come with accident prevention technology and their ability to identify pedestrians walking at night. The researchers used dummy pedestrians in the study, with some of these dummies wearing standard black clothing while others had reflective clothing on. The researchers found to their surprise that the technology caused the vehicles to slow down when the dummy was dressed in black clothing and actually failed to slow down the automobile when the dummy was dressed in reflective clothing.

Published on: February 20, 2025

Study Confirms Link Between Sleep Apnea and Increased Car Accident Risk

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new study confirms a direct link between sleep apnea and an increased risk of being involved in car accidents. Of course, car accidents are a major cause of catastrophic personal injuries.

The study was published recently in the journal Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person’s respiratory airways are blocked several times during the night. The muscles of the throat can become relaxed while the person is asleep, blocking the flow of oxygen into the lungs. This can cause the person to wake up over and over again, and can contribute to decreased and disturbed sleep. Persons who suffer from sleep apnea may find themselves very fatigued and drowsy the next day because of the interrupted sleep the previous night.

In the new study, researchers focused on more than 2.8 million people who suffered from sleep apnea. The study sample included at least 700,000 persons who used CPAP machines to cope with their symptoms and another 12,000 people who had undergone surgery to correct their symptoms. The researchers found in their analysis that out of the persons who had surgery to correct their sleep apnea, approximately 3% ended up being involved in a car crash. Among the persons who used CPAP machines, at least 5% were involved in auto accidents. Approximately, 6% of the persons who took no treatment at all for their sleep apnea were involved in car accidents. Being untreated for sleep apnea was linked to a higher chance of being involved in a car accident with people who underwent no treatment for sleep apnea having a 21% higher risk of being involved in car accidents.

Published on: January 31, 2025

Georgia DOT Working to Prevent Car Accidents This Winter

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

With treacherous weather and road conditions this winter, the Georgia Department of Transportation has been working overtime to keep roads safer for motorists and to help drivers understand the various auto accident risks they face while driving.

Driving conditions in Georgia have become progressively worse in December as winter has set in, making roads slippery and covering them with treacherous black ice. Black ice is a very dangerous condition that often results in auto accidents every winter. Transportation officials are warning motorists to look out for black ice, especially as they travel over bridges and overpasses. Look out also for fallen trees or power lines, due to stormy and windy conditions this winter.

The Georgia Department of Transportation also wants motorists to know that department dump trucks will be dumping salt and gravel on icy roads. If you see one of these trucks, avoid following too close to the truck. The tires might kick up gravel that could actually shatter your glass, injuring you or your passengers. Instead, leave a gap of at least 100 feet between your vehicle and the truck.

Published on: January 2, 2025

Speeding Exacerbates Pedestrian Personal Injury Risks of Taller Vehicles

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Earlier research indicated that it might be the taller height of large vehicles like SUVs that make them a bigger personal injury threat to pedestrians than mere vehicle weight. Now, newer studies confirm that speeding only exacerbates those risks to auto accidents involving pedestrians which often result in severe and catastrophic personal injuries.

According to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, speeding increases the risk that a sports utility vehicle or a pickup truck poses to a pedestrian. Exactly how much of a risk depends on the height of the vehicle. Taller vehicles that are speeding are much more likely to cause grave or fatal injury to a pedestrian when they are in a collision with them.

The size of an automobile can be a significant factor in the severity of the injuries that a pedestrian suffers in a car accident. However, the weight of the vehicle may not be as relevant since all vehicles, including smaller passenger cars, are heavier than pedestrians. What seems to significantly increase the severity of the personal injury risk to pedestrians is the height of the vehicle. Taller vehicles with a taller hood, for example, like large – sized SUVs, are much more likely to cause serious personal injuries to pedestrians because the pedestrian is more likely to suffer personal injuries to his upper body or head in such auto accidents. These are some of the most devastating injuries, and are very likely to result in catastrophic damage or wrongful death.

Published on: December 26, 2024

Focus on Older Driver Safety This Winter

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

This December, traffic safety organizations have been drawing attention to the car accident risks facing senior motorists. These risks often result in severe personal injuries from auto accidents.

A number of national and local organizations recently marked the week between December 2 and December 6 as Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. The aim of the commemoration was to draw attention to the various safety threats affecting the auto accident risks of older drivers above the age of 65. This is one of the most at-risk motorist groups out there with significant health -related car accident risks that potentially affect their driving abilities.

The national population of older drivers has increased significantly over the past decade. According to the AARP, the population of motorists above the age of 65 increased by almost 30% between 2012 and 2021. The car accident rate for senior drivers of this age group increased by more than 4% between 2021 and 2022. The number of car accident wrongful deaths involving motorists above the age of 65 increased from 7,515 in 2021 to 7,870 the following year.

Published on: December 17, 2024

Are Teen Drivers Now Safer Than Before?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Teen drivers have traditionally been regarded some of the most inexperienced and dangerous drivers out there. Here’s how Gen Z may be challenging that narrative.

New data shows that Gen Z, or the generation born between 1997 and 2012, may be some of the safest teen drivers in several decades. According to the data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Gen Z teens who received their licenses in 2012 -the first Gen Z teens to receive their licenses – were less likely to be involved in car accidents compared to driver’s license holders in previous generations.

This is in spite of the fact that Gen Z is one of the most technologically adept generations, and has grown up with 24/7 access to smartphones and technology in cars. With all the technology and distractions available in a car, you would think that teen drivers are now the most distracted of all drivers, and, therefore, some of the most dangerous on the roads. The data actually finds that that may not be true at all, at least relative to the accident risks of previous generations of teen drivers. This generation of teenage driver seems to have lower accident rates compared to previous generations of teenage motorists.