GHSA Tag Archives — Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: November 1, 2024

GHSA Launches New Initiative to Prevent Distracted Driving

The Governors Highway Safety Association is collaborating with a major insurer to make it more accessible for Americans to prevent distracted driving auto accidents. A new website is part of this effort to help reduce the incidence of distracted driving on our streets.

The Governors Highway Safety Association recently announced a collaboration with State Farm Insurance. The initiative includes a website called GenerationDistractionfree.org, and the aim of the initiative is to empower parents and guardians to raise a new generation of motorists who will be less addicted to technology and distractions at the wheel.

Parents have a huge role to play in molding their children’s driving skills. Distracted driving is a major killer on American roads, and contributes to more than half of all car accidents recorded in Georgia every year. These are alarming statistics, and it is clear that government- led initiatives and legislation have limited impact in reducing the incidence of distracted driving. This is why the Governors Highway Safety Association Highway is bringing the topic of distracted driving into American homes.

Published on: December 25, 2023

GHSA: Dip in Fatal Teen Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There is good news for teen motorists – a category of drivers that is traditionally one of the most at risk groups for car accidents. The Governors Highway Safety Association in a recent report announced that there has been a significant drop in the number of fatal car accidents involving young motorists.

The Governors Highway Safety Association recently released the findings of a new report titled Young Drivers and Traffic Fatalities: 20 Years of Progress on the Road to Zero. The report finds that there was a 38% drop in the number of fatal car accidents involving teenage drivers since 2002. During the same period of time, there was actually an increase of 8% in the number of fatal car accidents involving older drivers above the age of 21. There was also a significant 45% drop in the number of teen car accident wrongful deaths during the same period of time, compared to a spike of 11% in car accident deaths for older drivers above the age of 21. Traditionally, teenage drivers have had a car accident wrongful death rate that is four times higher than for drivers above the age of 21.

A number of factors could possibly have impacted this significant drop in fatal car accidents involving teenage drivers. The Governors Highway Safety Association makes note of the fact that teenage drivers are driving at lower volumes than they used to in 2002. The organization also believes that this has contributed to just a very small percentage of the staggering drop in fatal teen car accidents. The Governors Highway Safety Association believes that much of the drop has to do with the fact that so many states like Georgia now have solid Graduated Drivers’ Licensing programs in place. These programs place significant restrictions on a teenager’s ability to drive independently including restrictions on the ability to drive at night and drive with teenage passengers in the car. However, most of these Graduated Drivers’ Licensing programs apply to drivers below the age of 18, and the report recommends that states extend these programs to drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 in order to reduce those accident risks further.

Published on: September 17, 2021

Ford, GHSA Partner up to Provide Advanced Novice Driver Training

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Novice or inexperienced drivers have some of the highest accident risks of all categories of motorists. Ford Motors and the Governors Highway Safety Association are teaming up to offer young drivers in Atlanta the opportunity to fine- tune their driving skills.

Ford Motor Company conducts the Ford Driving Skills for Life driving clinics across the country, and the company is bringing these programs to Atlanta soon. The clinic is focused on helping newly-licensed drivers improve their driving skills, so that they will be able to drive safely and responsibly

The clinics are designed to help young drivers who have just received their learner’s license learn skills that can significantly help reduce their risks of being involved in an accident. According to Ford, the program focuses on enhancing skills that are related to four critical areas that are responsible for causing a majority of all car accidents-speed management, space management, vehicle handling and hazard recognition. Problems involving these four areas are responsible for approximately 60% of all car accidents that occur every year. Fine-tuning driving skills that focus on these areas can help novice drivers who do not have a lot of experience behind the wheel handle these challenges safely, understand how to stick to safe speeds, understand how to manage the space around their vehicles and recognize accident risks and manage these before it is too late.

Published on: August 25, 2017

Fatality Numbers Underscore Pedestrian Safety Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Walking has probably never been more dangerous in the United States. In 2016, the number of pedestrian fatalities increased for the second consecutive year. What’s more, those fatality numbers are at alarming new highs.

Pedestrian fatality statistics are especially bleak in the state of Georgia. Georgia was one of eleven states that had fatality rates equal to one or more per 100,000 people. Georgia had a rate of 1.06 fatalities per 100,000 population between January and June 2016.

Data released by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) showed that projected pedestrian accident fatality numbers increased by approximately 11% between 2015 and 2016 – the biggest year-to-year spike since the organization began tracking those numbers. In the first half of 2016, there were 2,660 fatalities in pedestrian accidents. During the same period of time in 2015, there were 2,486 fatalities. The report projected a 22% increase in pedestrian fatalities in 2016 from 2014.