Georgia schools

Published on: August 3, 2021

Back to School Safety Tips For Atlanta Motorists

With many school districts across Georgia, including in the metro Atlanta region, beginning in-person learning over the next few weeks, it is important for schools, students and parents to keep essential safety tips in mind.

Most school districts across Georgia have announced that they will begin in-person learning soon, and some school districts have actually already begun welcoming students back to school.

If you are a parent, you should be aware of some essential safety precautions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking parents to take extra care while picking up and dropping their children to school. Look out for child pedestrians around the school. Look out school buses that may be very busy in the school zone. Avoid speeding within a school zone. Stick to safe speed limits in these areas and be mindful of the reduced speed limits during school hours. Be additionally careful when you are around a crosswalk. Do not block pedestrians near a crosswalk or force them to walk around your car. Look out for crossing guards or school patrol officers waiting for you to stop.

Published on: August 24, 2011

Cobb County Uses School Bus Cameras to Catch Errant Drivers, Prevent Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

School buses in Cobb County now come with video cameras that can capture vital information on motorists who fail to halt when a school bus is at a stop.Atlanta bus accident lawyers believe that it is important to have such measures in order to reduce the risk of accidents, especially now that school has begun.

Many accidents involving school children occur when school buses are at a bus stop.Under the law, drivers are required to halt when a school bus is at a stop.Earlier, when a bus driver found a motorist who violated this rule, he had to write down the tag number, the date and time of the incident and vehicle description and submit this information to authorities.However, a Georgia law that was amended this year allows bus drivers to use video recordings made of the errant motorists.

Now, a bus driver does not have to give a written statement that contains the tag number and other information.The footage from the video camera can be used to find the errant driver.This makes the job of bus drivers that much easier.The driver does not have to focus on writing down the tag number of the offending vehicle ,which can distract him from his duties.These digital cameras can record the tag numbers and other information of motorists who ignore the law. The initiative is the result of efforts by two people in memory of a five-year-old girl who was killed by a driver who failed to stop at a bus stop.

Published on: August 8, 2011

Investigation Indicates Carroll County School Bus Driver in Fatal Bus Accident Was Drowsy

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has obtained a Georgia’s State Patrol investigative report into the fatal school bus accident in Carroll County in 2010 that resulted in the wrongful death of a student.The investigative report blames drowsy driving by the school bus driver, and also indicates that students on the bus were nervous about the bus driver’s driving abilities.

The accident occurred in October 2010, when a group of fourteen high school students were traveling from Temple High School to a vocational school.Suddenly, the bus veered to the right of the road and into a ditch.It then overturned, leaving more than a dozen students with personal injuries.A seventeen-year-old student on the bus was killed.He was partially ejected from the bus when it flipped over, and was trapped underneath the bus.

The driver of the bus was a trainee who was scheduled to take his test to become a full-time driver the next day.He had not completed six hours of required training. The investigative report seemed to indicate that the driver had a record of unsafe driving, and students on the bus had been afraid for their safety on the day of the accident.Several students also mentioned to investigators that the way he was driving, especially over dirt roads, was very unsafe.This week, he was sentenced to a year of probation and fined $600 for failure to stay in his lane.

Published on: April 30, 2011

Students Injured in School Bus Accident in Gwinnett County, Georgia

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Several school students were injured in a bus accident involving two school buses in Gwinnett County earlier this week.The accident occurred at an intersection where two school buses were stopped.A third bus approached the scene, and rear-ended the second bus.The driver of the third school bus sustained minor injuries, and was taken to the Gwinnett Medical Center.Unfortunately, as an Atlanta injury attorney, I have seen too many bus accidents result in far more serious injures and wrongful death.

There were a total of 38 children on the third bus, and 10 of them suffered back injuries. The students on the other two buses did not suffer any injuries.The driver of the bus has been cited for following too close.The drivers of the other two buses have been suspended temporarily while an investigation into the accident continues.

Atlanta bus accident lawyers will have to wait until investigations are completed to learn why the third bus driver was not able to stop in time to avoid crashing into the other bus.However, it’ll probably be worthwhile to probe the role of distractions and inattention as a factor in this crash.School bus drivers have an additional responsibility to be cautious and completely attentive while driving.These buses carry some of our most precious cargo, which makes it all the more important for drivers to be attentive at all times.

Published on: October 22, 2010

Five Persons Injured in Georgia School Bus Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In the most recent in a string of serious school bus accidents in Georgia, five people have been injured in an accident involving a stopped school bus in Barrow County. The accident occurred on Wednesday. There were 14 students on the bus when the accident occurred.According to witnesses, the bus had its warning lights activated, and was unloading passengers when it was rear-ended by a Jeep.The driver of the Jeep suffered serious injuries, and was rushed to the hospital.Three students on the bus also suffered injuries, and had to taken to the Barrow Regional Medical Center.The students had been standing up at the time of the accident, waiting for their turn to exit the bus.The children reportedly sustained bumps and bruises.The driver also sustained injuries.

According to news reports, the school bus had had its warning lights activated.Moreover, the accident occurred during daylight.Investigators will likely be looking at the reason why the pickup truck driver was unable to stop before he rear-ended the school bus.

Georgia School Bus Accident Claims

Published on: October 7, 2010

Fatal Georgia School Bus Accident Reignites Seatbelt Debate

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Fatal Georgia School Bus Accident Reignites Seatbelt Debate

The death of a 17-year-old student in a school bus accident in southern Georgia this week has again raised questions about whether the state needs to make it mandatory for all school buses to come with seatbelts.

The accident which occurred on Monday afternoon, involved a school bus that overturned on Highway 113.The victim, a 17-year-old boy was ejected from the bus.As the bus rolled over, he came under the bus, and was crushed to death.At least 10 other students on the bus suffered injuries.

Published on: November 17, 2009

Student Injured in DeKalb County School Bus Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Student Injured in DeKalb County School Bus Accident

News of a school bus accident is enough to cause concern to any Georgian. These vehicles carry some of the most precious cargo, and children may be at serious risk of injuries in these accidents. At least one student has been hospitalized with injuries after an accident involving two DeKalb County school buses this week.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the accident occurred on Monday, when bus number 1794 of the McClendon Elementary School struck bus number 1282 at the Lawrenceville Highway and Interstate 285 intersection. One of the children suffered cuts, and was taken to a hospital. Fortunately, there were no other injuries in the accident. The accident seems to have been caused when bus number 1794 backed up into the other bus.

Published on: September 26, 2009

School Boy Injured in Polk County Bus Accident Succumbs to Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A 12-year-old school boy, who sustained serious injuries in a Polk County school bus accident earlier this month, has died from his injuries. Seventh grader Wyatt Pilgrim was stuck by a school bus on September 9^th, as he was waiting for his bus. He was airlifted to an Atlanta hospital, and remained in a critical condition for days. On Sunday, Wyatt succumbed to his injuries.

Police investigations have revealed that the driver could not avoid the accident, and police officials have confirmed that he will not be charged in the accident. According to a Polk County school system representative, the Evergreen Lane in Cedartown where the accident occurred, has heavy traffic. There are schools in the area including the Cherokee Elementary School, and consequently, a lot of children use the area.

Very often, accidents involving pedestrians can be traced to road designs that are simply not pedestrian-friendly. These accidents occur very often when there is heavy pedestrian traffic, and not adequate safety systems to protect pedestrians.

Published on: September 22, 2009

Questions Remain After Child’s Death in Atlanta School Bus Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Questions Remain After Child’s Death in Atlanta School Bus Accident

Earlier this week, a 5-year-old boy was killed when he was run over by a school bus. The driver of the bus has now been charged with homicide by vehicle second degree.

On Tuesday afternoon, Everett Johnson had just gotten off his school bus. According to witnesses at the accident site, Everett was walking in front of the bus, and dropped his book and bag. He was bending over to pick them up when he was struck by the bus, which had begun to move forward. Everett came under the right front tire. He was rushed to the hospital, but died later.

Published on: April 7, 2009

Georgia’s School Students at Risk for Illnesses from Toxic Exhaust Fumes

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Georgia’s school children are sharing their buses with more than just their school mates, this report reveals. The presence of several types of toxins that can not only trigger asthma and other respiratory disorders, but also cause cancer is enough reason for parents to worry. .

According to the report, newer school buses come with special particulate filters that block these toxins from entering the passenger cabins. However, an overwhelming majority of school buses in operation in the state are older and come with an antiquated exhaust system that does little to prevent particulates from entering the cabin.In the cabins, these often carcinogenic substances wear away at young, developing lungs that are more at risk for the detrimental health effects caused by these minute particles.

Some schools seem to have done a better job of protecting children from the risk of illnesses caused by these toxins than others. Atlanta Public Schools for instance, has retrofitted 373 of its school buses with newer diesel particulate filters. The school district used funds allotted to it in 2005 to carry out the retrofitting. In sharp contrast, Gwinnett County Public Schools has not made any attempts at retrofitting its buses, and has not even applied for funds to carry out the retrofitting programs. Gwinnett County is Georgia’s largest public school district, and the failure to equip existing vehicles with the new filter systems means that 120,000 students are traveling in these school buses everyday, inhaling toxic flumes that are dangerous to their health.