Georgia fatalities

Published on: February 17, 2011

Georgia DOT to Allow Memorials to Auto Accident and Truck Accident Victims

Memorial signs to auto accident and truck accident victims have been used around the country not just to commemorate the dead, but also serve as a warning to the living.As Atlanta auto accident lawyers, we believe that such stark signs help increase motorist awareness of the dangers of reckless driving and, therefore, help to decrease the number of auto accidents and truck accidents.The Georgia Department of Transportation has now announced that it will allow memorials to auto accident victims to be placed on federal and state highways.

Another program that allows highway memorial signs bearing the names of drunk driving accident victims on Georgia highways, is already in effect. That program was created through the efforts of the Department of Transportation, the Georgia Gen. Assembly and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in 2006. That program is separate from this new memorial sign program, and will continue as scheduled.

The new memorials will consist of 15- inch round, white signs containing the message Drive Safely: in Memory (name of the deceased).Families and friends of accident victims can request a sign for a $100 fee that will go towards installation and fabrication charges. The sign will be in place for a period of one year, after which it will be returned to the sponsor of the sign. However, families can only order these memorial signs through the Department of Transportation.

Published on: February 9, 2011

Charges May Be Filed against Man Involved in Fatal Atlanta HERO Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Investigations into a fatal accident involving a HERO unit operator on an Atlanta interstate last week are still going on. Charges could be filed against the Loganville motorist who was driving the car that struck the operator. This auto accident is the type law enforcement officials constantly warn against. Auto accidents of these types occur in Atlanta and elsewhere when drivers fail to pay close attention to stranded motorists. It emphasizes the need for all motorists to slow their cars when approaching stranded vehicles.

The Highway Emergency Response Operator was responding to a stranded motorist on Interstate 85 when he was struck by another car. The victim, Spencer Pass had parked his truck just behind a Ranger in the Interstate 85 Emergency lane. Just then, a Ford F-450 truck pulling a trailer struck the HERO truck and the Ranger. It then hit the victim, who sustained fatal injuries. The driver of the Ranger was able to avoid injuries.

The Highway Emergency Response Operator program was started by the Georgia Department of Transportation in 1995. According to the Department of Transportation, this is the very first death involving a HERO operator since the program began operations. HERO operators respond to stranded motorists on Atlanta interstate highways. These motorists include drivers who have been involved in accidents, have run out of fuel, or have had a car breakdown on a busy highway.

Published on: February 1, 2011

Georgia Ranks above National Average for Auto Accident Wrongful Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The state of Georgia ranks at number 32 in a USA Today compilation of states based on auto accident death rate per 100,000 population. In 2009, 1,284 people died in car accidents in Georgia, and the state had a death rate per 100,000 population of 13.1. That is much above the national average of 11 per 100,000 population. Of course, a significant number of deaths generally occur in urban areas such as Atlanta, Georgia.

Georgia and other states like Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Delaware with strong rural neighborhoods seem to have high death rates in car accidents. The reason for this, according to the USA Today report, could be the fact that many of the states with significant numbers of wrongful deaths due to car accidents have large rural communities.

Most of the traffic in rural communities plies on two-lane roads. These roads typically tend to be poorly designed, and lack the safety enhancements and engineering that make urban roads safer. It’s no coincidence that the states that have featured at the top of the list (ie: least deaths), like Washington DC and Massachusetts have more urban roads.

Published on: January 26, 2011

NSC Statistics Show Decline in Georgia Auto Accident Fatalities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

New figures from the National Safety Council show that auto accident deaths in Georgia declined during the first 11 months of 2010. According to the report, there were 1,121 auto accident deaths between January and November 2010, down from 1,165 during the same period time in 2009, and 1,323 deaths during the same period of time in 2008. Overall, statistics for Georgia show a 15% decline in the number of attacks between January-November 2008 and January-November 2010.

Georgia statistics mirrored a nationwide trend. Overall, motor vehicle accidents across the country declined by approximately 4% in the first 11 months of 2010. As of November 2010, there were 31,740 accident fatalities.

This year, the National Safety Council adopted the concept of “medically consulted injuries” to define the injury impact of these accidents. According to the National Safety Council, a medically consulted injury is any injury that is deemed serious enough to require the attention of a medical professional. Between January and November 2010, there were 3, 100,000 medically consulted injuries arising from auto accidents. Further, auto accidents in 2010 lead to total costs of $216.5 billion. These include medical expenses, employer costs, lost hours and lost productivity.

Published on: December 4, 2010

ENA Scorecard Shows Georgia Could Do Better at Preventing Accident Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Preventing deaths from auto accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents and bicycle accidents needs to be a top priority in Atlanta and throughout Georgia. A report by the Emergency Nurses Association, which rates states based on how they fare on 14 established criteria, shows that Georgia performs quite well on the parameters, but still has work to do.

The report by the ENA compares all 50 states, and rates them based on how they perform against the following criteria:

1. The existence of primary enforcement seat belt laws

Published on: October 6, 2010

Four People Killed in Georgia 15-Passenger Van Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Four People Killed in Georgia 15-Passenger Van Accident

Four people were killed in an accident caused when a15-passenger van overturned in South Georgia.The accident, which also injured more than 15 other people in the van, occurred on US Highway 27 in southwest Georgia.The occupants were members of a church group on their way to an event in Florida.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, the van’s rear right tire blew out, causing the driver to lose control of the van.The van flipped over several times, ejecting all of the passengers.The pastor of the church, the Tabernacle of Prayer and Deliverance in Columbus, and three other occupants of the van, were killed in the crash.Injured persons were airlifted to nearby hospitals.In all, there were 19 people on board ranging in age from 11 months to adults in their 40s.

Published on: September 29, 2010

One Killed in Canton Truck Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

One Killed in Canton Truck Accident

A 22-year-old man was killed in a multi-vehicle accident involving a tractor-trailer and two passenger vehicles in Canton last week.The accident occurred on Wednesday evening on the exit ramp from Interstate 575 to GA 140.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a tractor-trailer ran a stop light at an intersection, and struck a Chevrolet Tahoe.The impact caused both vehicles to hit a Honda Prelude.The driver of the Honda Prelude, a 22-year-old resident of Canton, sustained serious injuries, and was declared dead at the scene.The driver of the Chevrolet Tahoe was also injured.

Published on: May 27, 2010

Deadly Memorial Day Weekend in Georgia; 14 dead in Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Fourteen people have been killed in accidents across Georgia over the Memorial Day weekend, including fatal accidents in Cherokee County and Fulton County.

Reports coming before the Memorial Day weekend came to a close to Monday night, had more than 700 people injured in automobile accidents since the holiday began on Friday evening. Overall, Georgia State Patrol responded to more than 2,700 accidents up till 6 pm Monday.

Four of the people who died were traveling in Fulton and Cherokee County. In Fulton County, a motorcycle accident left the 37-year-old motorcyclist dead at the scene. Speed is believed to have caused the accident. A little while later a Honda and a Suburban crashed, killing the Suburban driver. In Cherokee County, a Ford Taurus veered off the road on Highway 20 and crashed into a tree. A driver and a passenger, both Emerson residents died at the scene, while another passenger was airlifted to hospital with critical injuries. Investigators believe driver error and weather conditions may have been a factor in that crash.

Published on: March 19, 2010

Georgia Roads Are Both Deadly and Desirable

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Georgia Has Best and Deadliest Roads in the US

A study published in Reader’s Digest magazine indicates dichotomies in Georgia’s road safety. The state’s roads are some of the best in the country indicated by their position at number 13 on the list. However oddly enough, Georgia’s roads are also mentioned as some of the deadliest in the country, placed at number 20 on a different list.

So, how could our roads be safe and a pleasure to drive on, and still be linked to an inordinate number of accidents and fatalities?

Published on: February 15, 2010

Killer Roads Report: Georgia Highways Dangerous

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Killer Roads Report: Georgia Highways More Dangerous Because of Negligent Motorists

A report based on auto accident statistics by the Department of Transportation between 1994 and 2008 lists the most dangerous roads in the country by the number of fatalities that have occurred here. The top 20 is made up in a large part by cities in heavily populated states, like Texas and California.

According to the data, 23,640 people died on Georgia highways in auto accidents between 1994 and 2008.