traffic laws

Published on: October 25, 2023

Federal Grants Aimed at Preventing Trucking Accidents

The federal government under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is funding transportation projects across the country, and recently announced funding for new initiatives that would help speed up commercial driver’s licensing processes and, if these drivers are effectively trained, help prevent truck accidents.

The Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently announced in a press release that it would release $48 million in funding grants to states and other entities. This money would be used to increase opportunities for people who wish to train as truck drivers and obtain commercial driver’s licenses, as well as other efforts aimed at increasing the number of experienced and trained truck drivers on our highways. Approximately $44 million, for instance, would be used for expanding commercial drivers license programs through the Commercial Drivers License Program Implementation Grant. States would receive funding to speed up the process of issuance of commercial drivers licenses.

The funds would also be used to make it easier for states to communicate with each other about violations and other data electronically.

Published on: May 10, 2023

Could Poor Police Enforcement be Linked to Auto Accident Spike?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

While there have been many theories for the disturbing rise in auto accident wrongful deaths across the country, one under examined factor is now under the scanner. Experts believe that a drop in police enforcement since just before the pandemic is possibly partly responsible for a spike in car accident deaths.

Car accident deaths in 2022 were as much as 18% higher than the numbers in 2019. They have continued to increase, spiking even during the pandemic when vehicular traffic volumes were at all time lows. During a time when American roads should have been safest, they were actually even more dangerous than before the pandemic with normal traffic volumes. This phenomenon was also uniquely American. Most Western countries did not report increases in car accident deaths during the pandemic. Many, in fact, actually saw a drop in car accident rates as a result of lockdowns and lower traffic volumes.

There have been a number of theories that have been espoused as reasons for the increase in car accident deaths in the United States. From an increase in speeding to larger volumes of distracted drivers, experts believe that a combination of factors has led to a spike in the number of people being killed in car accidents. However, one particular factor has not received a lot of attention and NPR recently addressed this. The report by NPR says that a drop in police enforcement across the country is at least partly responsible for the spike in car accident deaths.

Published on: July 29, 2022

Feds Finalize Rules to Protect Motorists in Underride Truck Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The administration has finalized a rule that is meant to protect motorists and drivers of light passenger vehicles from serious injuries in a truck accident with large commercial trucks for tractor trailers.

A serious underride truck accident can involve devastating personal injuries, including decapitation. In these truck accidents, the motorist may hit the back of the tractor trailer, resulting in the smaller passenger vehicle sliding under the tractor trailer. Head and neck personal injuries are common in such types of truck accidents, and decapitation is not unheard of either.

For years now, passenger safety advocates have called for stricter restrictions on the design of commercial trucks and 18-wheelers that will prevent such truck accidents from taking place. The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently announced that it has finalized rules that will update the current federal standards for underride protection. As part of the rule, trucks must come with rear impact guards that will absorb the energy of the impact, and prevent motorists from sliding under the tractor trailer.

Published on: June 2, 2021

Bills Target Traffic Safety, Accident Prevention

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Every year, over 36,000 people are killed in motor vehicle accidents on our nation’s roadways. On top of that, 3 million people are injured every year as a result of a car crash. Lawmakers are introducing a system approach to help reduce these injury statistics. A set of 4 new bills that have been introduced in the US Congress tackle serious problems facing American motorists, and cover a range of subjects including auto safety and distracted driving.

The set of bills has been introduced by Senator Richard Blumenthal (Democrat-Connecticut) and Senator Edward Markey (Democrat -Massachusetts) who both sit on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. All 4 bills are specifically focused on improvements in traffic safety strategies and infrastructure. The bills cover issues that significantly impact the safety of Georgia motorists, including distracted driving, the speed with which auto recalls are initiated in the United States as well as the safety and stability of car technology.

The first bill aims to understand more about the problems of distracted driving and solutions that can help resolve this menace. The bill is called the Stay Aware For Everyone Act, or the SAFE Act, and it will require the Department of Transportation to conduct studies into how auto technologies like driver monitoring technology can reduce the incidence of distracted driving by reducing driver distractions. The bill requires the DOT to specifically study driver disengagement as well as the possible irresponsible use of auto technology that could cause distractions.

Published on: May 27, 2011

Survey Finds Americans Want More Traffic Safety Laws to Prevent Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A new survey by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that Americans would rather have more government interference in matters of traffic safety to prevent auto accidents, truck accidents and motorcycle accidents. Of course, these accidents often result in serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths. According to the survey, 62% of Americans want more traffic safety laws to reduce poor driving behaviors and minimize accident risks.What’s more, 57% of respondents wanted their individual states to get more involved in making the roads safer.This is an indication to Atlanta car accident attorneys that there is plenty of support for recent moves in Georgia to enact mandatory seatbelt laws for all, and ban texting while driving for all motorists.

According to the survey, 70% of Americans feel that traffic safety laws should be strictly enforced.There’s a lesson here for Atlanta and throughout Georgia which has recently banned texting while driving – laws can be meaningless unless these are enforced and violators penalized sufficiently.

Additionally, the survey also indicates that there is plenty of support for tough teen driver licensing standards.86% of the respondents believe that new drivers should be required to complete a driver’s education course before they are allowed a driver’s license.American motorists also want to see automakers invest in technologies that will help prevent accidents and keep motorists safe.60% of the respondents wanted automakers to do more to make their vehicles safer.

Published on: May 9, 2011

Feds Release New Bus Safety Rules to Prevent Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A series of fatal and serious bus accidents recently have resulted in new proposals to enhance bus safety for American passengers, and prevent serious accidents.The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, this week announced a new set of proposals to minimize the risk of bus crashes. As an Atlanta injury lawyer, I only hope that the proposed regulations are enacted. The regulations then need to be monitored over time and strengthened where necessary. Bus accidents are far more serious than car accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and many truck accidents due to the number of persons who have the potential of suffering personal injuries.

There have been several bus accidents over the past two years that have indicated the need for new safety regulations that can help deal with some of the serious bus safety issues that we currently face. The new proposals aim to do that.For instance, one of the issues that have bothered Atlanta bus accident attorneys has been the fact that bus companies find it too easy to reappear under a new name and address after one of their vehicles has been involved in a fatal accident.The new rule would create a federal standard that would help determine whether a carrier used to exist under a different name earlier.This would close current loopholes that allow carriers to resurface a few months after a serious accident, under a new name.

The new proposals also make it tougher for commercial drivers to get their licenses.Under the proposals, a driver would need to have a commercial driver’s learner’s permit before he can receive his commercial driver’s license.Besides, the federal agency wants to establish a uniform CDL testing standard across the country.

Published on: August 4, 2010

Parents Demand Stricter Teen Driving Laws

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There is a growing debate nationwide over the need for a mandatory federal standard for driver’s licensing programs.Currently, there is no single federal standard.As Atlanta auto accident lawyers, we strongly support a strict, federal mandatory standard for licensing policies.A bill called the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act would establish exactly such a standard.It’s not surprising that some of the strongest supporters of this proposed standard are parents.

A new survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveals that parents favor stronger licensing standards for their children.The study is the first of its kind into parental attitudes towards graduated driver’s licensing policies.It clearly reveals that parents strongly favor licensing policies that can prevent their children’s risk of being involved in an accident.

The parents were asked several questions, including their opinion about nighttime driving restrictions and passenger restrictions.90% of the parents said that they were in favor of nighttime driving restrictions on teenagers, and most of them wanted restrictions that began at 10 PM or earlier.Georgia’s GDL laws impose a restriction on nighttime driving between midnight and 6 AM for teen drivers.

Published on: June 28, 2010

Federal Regulation To Decrease Truck Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Federal government finally decided to crack down on truck companies and truck drivers with poor driving records. According to the Federal Motor Common Carrier Safety Administration website the “Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010, CSA 2010, is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce commercial motor vehicle (CMV)-related truck accidents, injuries and fatalities. The initiative has three major components – measurement, evaluation and intervention.Using inspection and truck accident results, the initiative identifies carriers and drivers whose behaviors could reasonably lead to truck accidents and injuries. The FMCSA and its state partners then evaluate the data to create better methods for improving the safety of these problem drivers and companies. Finally, the initiative allows the FMCSA to intervene to resolve safety issues with trucking companies and truck drivers who are unsafe.

However, at a recent meeting in Atlanta, Georgia sponsored by Eyefortransport, trucking companies complained that the new initiative will cause an increase in driver attrition of at least 5 to 8 percent. The American Trucking Association continues to support the initiative, but seeks to have two changes. First, it only wants data regarding accidents considered if the truck driver was determined to be at fault in the accident. Second, it does not want warnings issued by law enforcement officials considered in the data.

Simply put, it is about time that the FMCSA aggressively evaluated the safety and accident records of all truck companies and truck drivers.The initiative is likely to have two significant positive impacts. First, it will result in the removal of unsafe truck drivers from our public highways and roads. Second, it will cause truck drivers to driver more carefully due to the risk of losing their commercial driver’s license.In order to decrease the number of trucking accidents, there needs to be a significant change in how truck drivers choose to driver. The initiative is long overdue and needs to continue to be strengthened and not watered down.