Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: June 3, 2013

Fatigued Driving Causes More Fatal Car Accidents Than Earlier Believed

Drowsy driving is one of the most underestimated causes of accidents, especially since it’s difficult to determine exactly how many motorists dozed off at the wheel just before the car wreck.However, one fact is clear.These accidents are much more widespread and common than believed, and the number of people being killed in these crashes is much higher than the official estimates.A new study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute seems to confirm that fact.

The naturalistic study which focused on 100 cars involved in accidents, found that driving under the influence of fatigue contributed to as many as 20% of all accidents.Earlier estimates had pegged that number at just 2-3% of all accidents.

The naturalistic study is believed to be one of the first times that this major accident factor has been studied in depth, and in a naturalistic environment.The study found that drivers 18- 20 years of age had some of the highest risks of being involved in drowsy driving accidents, accounting for more accidents than any other age group.

Published on: May 20, 2013

More Effort Needed to Reduce Georgia Bicycle Accidents and Fatalities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Bicyclists in the metro Atlanta region continue to remain at high risk for injuries and fatalities.New data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that there were 14 “pedalcyclist” accident fatalities reported in Georgia in the year 2011.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration puts bicycles, unicycles, and other non-motorized vehicles in a single group called “pedalcycles.”

Those figures account for approximately 1.1% of the 1,223 traffic accident fatalities reported in 2011.Overall, Georgia had a bicyclist fatality rate of approximately 1.43 fatalities for every 1 million population.

Statistics were not much better across the rest of the country.In fact, there was actually an increase of 9% in the national bicycle accident fatality total for 2011.Overall, there were 677 pedalcyclist fatalities in the United States in 2011.These accidents also contributed to more than 48,000 injuries.

Published on: April 24, 2013

High-Risk of Car Accidents with Hands-Free Communication Too

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

For some time now, supporters of hands-free texting and voice-activated texting technologies have insisted that these technologies help reduce the risk of accidents because they do not require the use of hands and fingers to type text messages.However, a new study debunks that fact.The study shows that persons who use hands-free tools are just as much at risk of being involved in a car accident as persons who manually type text messages.

The research was conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University recently.According to researchers, it does not matter whether you use a hands-free texting technology or voice-activated system to dictate text messages, or manually type a text the old-fashioned way using your fingers.The risk of distraction is just as strong in the former method as in the latter one.

It’s estimated that Americans exchange as many as 6.1 billion text messages every day.Our Atlanta car accident lawyers also believe that many millions of those texts are exchanged by people while driving.With those kinds of staggering numbers, it is very important that motorists not be lulled into the false assumption that they’re protected from accidents if they’re using a voice-activated texting system.That may not be true at all.

Published on: April 8, 2013

Summer Means Increased Risk of Dog Bites Involving Georgia Children

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Warm Georgia weather brings more children out to play in parks and playgrounds, as well as an increased number of dog owners walking their pets.Unfortunately, this combination always increases the number of dog bites involving children.

In addition, the issue of dog bites and children is likely to be more prominent in our state after a recent incident involving a pet store altercation where a small child was bitten by a dog.The child and his mother were at the store when the child reached out to pet a little dog.The animal attacked him, leaving the child with serious injuries, including 9 stitches on his nose.

When a witness tried to stop the two men who owned the dog from leaving the store, one of them allegedly brandished a weapon, and threatened him before they drove away.

Published on: March 26, 2013

Research Recommends Drastic Measures to Prevent Distracted Driving Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The distracted driving problem in Georgia and across the country has resulted in federal and state transportation agencies, safety advocates, and Atlanta car accident lawyers pooling in their efforts to come up with ways to reduce the numbers of distracted motorists on the roads.A number of strategies are currently being used to reduce the effect of distracted driving on highway safety.However, a new report released by researchers at West Virginia University recommends some dramatic new ways to reduce the impact of distracted driving.

The report was released by scientists at West Virginia University, and is titled Keeping an Eye on Distracted Driving.The report has been published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

According to the report, there is no doubt that distracted driving is one of the key threats to motorist safety in the United States.Every year, distracted driving causes more than 300,000 injuries on our roads, and as many as 2,600 fatalities.According to the report, the numbers of injuries and fatalities linked to distracted driving increased significantly between 2005 and 2009.

Published on: March 18, 2013

Truck Underride Guards May Not Protect Against Accident Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The angle of a passenger vehicle that is involved in a rear ender accident with a tractor-trailer could mean the difference between life and death for the occupants of the vehicle.This is because the underride guards that are located at the back of the tractor-trailer to protect the occupants of the passenger vehicle from serious injuries when it hits a truck don’t perform so well in many situations.

The study was conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which found that the underride guards located on the back of tractor-trailers, don’t always perform as well as expected in reducing the risk to passenger car occupants.

In some situations, these underride guards did a fairly good job.In the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study, the researchers found that when the full width of the car hit the center of the trailer, the underride guards in all trucks prevented the front portion of the passenger vehicle from sliding under the tractor-trailer.A situation like this can mean almost instantaneous death for the occupants of a passenger vehicle, who may suffer serious head or neck injuries, or even decapitation.

Published on: February 27, 2013

Comparison Study Finds High US Traffic Fatality Rates

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Americans seem to spend more on road transportation, but don’t necessarily drive on the safest roads in the world.According to a new report by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, the United States has a per capita accident fatality rate that is approximately 3 times greater than the rates in The Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Sweden.

Researchers analyzed fatality statistics, and tried to determine why there was such a huge disparity between the numbers in the United States as compared those in Europe.They found that there are a number of factors that contribute to a higher U.S. accident fatality rate.

These include much more relaxed laws regarding seatbelt use, speeding, and drunk driving enforcement.When researchers analyzed road safety laws in both the United States and European countries, they found that the U.S. was definitely behind in the types of laws most likely to help prevent accidents.

Published on: February 20, 2013

Investigations Continue into Fatal Cobb County Teen Driver Car Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Investigations into a fatal accident in Cobb County that killed 2 teenagers are still being conducted.Investigators are looking at whether vehicle speed played a role in this particular accident.

The accident occurred about 10 days ago, when the driver of a Volvo lost control of his car.The car crashed into a brick sign, and exploded into flames.In the car were the 19-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger.Both were killed instantly.

So far, Cobb County police do not believe that alcohol or drugs were factors in this accident.However, toxicology tests will be conducted on the deceased driver.

Published on: February 11, 2013

Increase in Georgia Car Accidents Linked to Icy Conditions

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Transportation officials across Georgia have been busy over the past few weeks as winter weather continues to create additional dangers for motorists.Over the past few weeks, icy weather conditions have been reported across several counties in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and its 1,500+ employees have been closely monitoring the weather as temperatures dip, and roads freeze.Our Atlanta vehicle accident attorneys have also been reminding people to stay safe on the slippery roads.

Transportation officials have already blamed icy weather for some accidents on Georgia highways this winter.None of these accidents resulted in fatalities, but they did lead to injuries and roads being shut down.Most of the accidents are being blamed on automobiles that hit a patch of ice, or vehicles that went out of control on roads made slippery by melting ice.

GDOT has increased travel warnings for Georgia motorists.Drivers are being asked to be very cautious while on the road, and to watch out for ice patches on interstate ramps and before and after bridges.

Published on: January 31, 2013

Investigations Rule Out Brake Failure in Newton School Bus Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Investigations into the recent school bus accident in Newton County are continuing.However, as of now, it does not appear that brake failure was a reason for the accident that injured more than 40 children.

The accident involved 2 school buses. According to the Georgia State Patrol, one of the school buses rear-ended the other, which had stopped to drop off children on Georgia Highway 162.Both of the buses were carrying students from Rocky Plains Elementary School.

Thirty four injured students and one of the bus drivers had to be rushed to the Newton Medical Center.Six other students were injured and taken to another hospital. Although the children had to be hospitalized, none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.