highway safety

Published on: February 23, 2022

National Roadway Safety Strategy Aims to Reduce Accident Deaths

The federal administration is moving ahead in its plans to reduce the number of Americans being killed in traffic accidents every year with the announcement of a new strategy with the same objectives.

The Department of Transportation has published its National Roadway Safety Strategy with a goal of reducing the number of people killed in traffic accidents. 95% of transportation-related accidents in the country occur on our roads and highways. The Department of Transportation estimates that 20,160 people died in transportation related accidents across the country in the first six months of 2021. That was an increase of 18.4%, compared to the first six months of the previous year. These numbers do not include the thousands of injuries that have occurred in these accidents, leaving victims severely or permanently injured, and burdening families with medical and other expenses.

In 2019, according to the Department of Transportation, Georgia ranked in the top 25% of states in number of fatalities with a total of 1,491 fatalities occurring in the state in transportation related accidents that year. Georgia is also close to the top of the list when it comes to the number of deaths per 100 million vehicle miles travelled with a rate of 1.12 roadway traffic fatality deaths for every 100 million miles travelled.

Published on: October 7, 2013

Highway Safety Expected to Be Affected by Government Shutdown

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Certain highway safety initiatives across the country are likely to be affected by the federal government shutdown, which is currently in effect. While some agencies that are responsible for auto safety are likely to be negatively impacted, others that are responsible for trucking safety, fortunately, may escape unscathed.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is one of those agencies that is expected to be affected by the shutdown and resulting lack of funding. This is the federal agency that is responsible for highway safety activities across the country, and therefore, this is one shutdown that has the potential to affect the safety of motorists and passengers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration may be forced to cut several employees as part of the furloughs. That in turn, could also impact not only highway safety, but also trucking safety to a certain extent, because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also regulates trucking equipment.

Published on: September 4, 2013

Georgia DOT Releases New Safe Driving Videos

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Georgia highway officials have made a lot of progress in helping reduce the number of people killed in traffic accidents across the state. However, thousands of people continue to die, or are seriously injured in accidents across the state every year.In order to help reduce those numbers further, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has developed and released a new series of videos.

GDOT has launched a new video initiative that comes in response to a call by the Federal Highway Administration to reduce traffic accident fatalities across the country to 0.The Federal Highway Administration’s Towards Zero Deaths initiative is aimed at minimizing the number of traffic accident fatalities across the country.

In order to support this initiative, the Georgia Department of Transportation is promoting a new series of educational videos. These videos will appear GDOT’s YouTube Channel and website.

Published on: November 26, 2010

New Airport Security Procedures Could Mean Increase in Highway Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Couldthe new enhanced airport security procedures adopted by the Transportation Security Administration unwittingly lead to an increase in highway accidents and fatalities this Thanksgiving holiday? It’s a question that two transportation economists have already addressed. According to them, there is very likely to be a spike in highway travel this year.

The main reason is likely to be the embarrassing patdown procedures, which have already received plenty of negative press as being intrusive and humiliating.In fact, an activist group is calling for “National Opt-Out Day” in protest against the procedures on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, which is one of the busiest flight days.That could mean even more delays.

Airport security has become a painfully cumbersome procedure post 9/11, and many people, especially those with kids, only fly because it gives them a chance to reach their destination quicker. However, if flying now also comes with a long drawn-out and embarrassing patdown, with the prospect of more delays, many Americans would simply choose to drive to their destination instead.

Published on: September 21, 2010

Decline in Highway Fatalities Could Actually Jeopardize Auto Safety Legislation

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Decline in Highway Fatalities Could Actually Jeopardize Auto Safety Legislation

Last week, we reported about a nationwide decline in highway fatalities that has been traced to enhanced auto safety, greater use of seatbelts and better DUI enforcement.Ironically, it now seems like opponents of the massive auto safety bill that is currently pending in Congress, will use these reduced highway fatality rates to actually scuttle the legislation.

The safety measures were developed in response to the Toyota crisis which broke last year, and involved cars accelerating to high speeds before crashing.In the days after four members of a California family died when their Lexus accelerated to high speeds and crashed, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was found to be severely wanting in its regulatory functions and oversight of auto companies.The federal agency has little power to announce recalls on its own, and must rely on automakers to take proactive steps to protect American consumers.

Published on: August 25, 2010

Traffic Fatalities Focus of Highway Study

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

More Focus on Highway Safety Technologies, Less on Distracting Issues

Does the super-sized focus on specific highway safety problems like distracted driving and auto safety issues like the Toyota acceleration crisis detract attention away from potential safety technologies and processes?It’s an intriguing question posed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and as Atlanta auto accident lawyers, we agree with many of the Institute’s opinions.

What the Insurance Institute is basically saying in its latest report, is that when federal transportation safety agencies focus heavily on a specific highway safety problem like distracted driving, and when already limited resources are devoted to tackling this problem, it takes much attention and effort away from the development of other technologies and processes that can prevent accidents.No one is denying that distracted driving is a serious problem, but it contributes to a small percentage of auto accident fatalities every year.Similarly, we aren’t saying that Toyota doesn’t have acceleration problems.In fact, in our capacity as Atlanta personal injury lawyers, we have always said that the company needs to be held accountable for its negligence.

Published on: August 17, 2010

Higher Truck Weight Limits Will Impact Highway Safety

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new piece of legislation that has been introduced in the U.S. Senate seeks to allow individual states to increase the gross weight limit on trucks plying the Interstate Highway System.The current gross weight limit in Georgia is about 80,000 pounds.If the legislation were to become law, trucking companies would be able to increase that weight to up to 97,000 pounds.

There are several reasons why Atlanta truck accident attorneys have a problem with this.For one, it would mean greater wear and tear on our already stretched highways.These are tough economic times, and funding for highway repairs and maintenance is already hard to source.The increased wear and tear from heavier trucks would leave Georgia’s highways compromised.

There’s another more serious reason why we strongly oppose any bill to increase funding for weight limits on trucks plying interstate highways.No matter how experienced a truck driver, he will find it a challenge to drive a trailer with an additional 17,000 pounds of cargo.Ask any truck driver and he will tell you that this is likely to be a safety concern if the bill actually becomes law.Trucking can be extremely strenuous, physically challenging work, and while experience can help, Atlanta truck accident lawyers often come across devastating truck accidents caused by experienced truckers.

Published on: August 11, 2010

Rural Areas Have Highest Rate of Fatal Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

NHTSA Data Shows High Rates of Auto Accidents, Fatalities in Rural Areas

Newly released data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that traffic safety in rural areas continues to be a serious concern.According to the statistics, although just 23% of the US population lived in rural areas in 2007, accident fatalities in rural areas accounted for 57% of all traffic accident fatalities that year.

A few very interesting facts stand out from the study.

Published on: April 21, 2010

Highway Work Zone Accidents Profiled This Week

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Department Of Transportation has announced its annual National Work Zone Awareness Week which will last from 19 April to 23 April.

Every year, the federal administration declares a special week dedicated to highway work zone safety.This year, there are expected to be several active highway repair and construction projects in Georgia. That means Atlantans and Georgians will enjoy better designed, well constructed and safer roadways. It also means that there will be several active work zones across Georgia, increasing the risk of accidents to both motorists as well as construction workers. It’s these accident risks that National Work Zone Awareness Week is attempting to minimize.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is also drawing attention to the fact that highway work zone accidents kill more motorists than construction workers. In 2005, there were 61 work zone fatalities in Georgia. These were deaths that were entirely preventable.

Published on: April 19, 2010

Highway Fatalities Decreasing

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

How many highway fatalities are too many highway fatalities? That’s one question that has had auto safety advocates’ and Atlanta car accident lawyers’ attention ever since the NHTSA announced that highway fatalities in the US were at an all-time low.

While 33,960 fatalities in 2009 may seem like good news, there’s one group of transportation safety officials that doesn’t believe so. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is aiming for the ultimate highway accident fatality rate – zero. It is adopting an approach called Toward Zero Deaths. The program’s goal is to alter the most common driving behaviors that frequently cause accidents – drunk driving, distracted driving, speeding and failing to buckle up.

The group is finding much success in its efforts towards minimizing fatality rates even further. Auto safety groups are urging Congress to set a target of halving the highway fatality rate in the next two decades. In August, AASHTO and the Transportation Research Board will convene a meeting in Washington that will be attended by auto safety experts from around the country. Several states are engaged in encouraging initiatives aimed at further reducing fatality rates.