Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: July 28, 2025

Study: Many Cars Now Have Expanded Blind Zones, Bigger Car Accident Risks

Much of motorist safety has to do with safe vehicle design. Thousands of car accidents every year are likely caused by imperfect or defective design of automobiles. A disturbing new study finds that some of the top-selling cars in America, including larger automobiles like SUVs and pickup trucks have blind zones that have expanded in size over the past 25 years. Simply put, larger blind spots greatly increase the risk of car accidents.

The analysis was conducted recently by researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a group that has been in the forefront of demanding that automakers implement safer vehicle designs as a way of preventing car accident wrongful deaths. This study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety used new measurement techniques to measure a motorist’s area of vision around the vehicle.

The study found that between 1997 and 2023, forward visibility around a vehicle dropped by as much as 58% in some of the most popular SUVs on the market. In the case of pickup trucks, the forward visibility dropped by 17%. This means that the blind zones in many of the most popular and highest- selling pickup trucks and SUVs in the United States have actually been decreasing significantly in size over the past few years.

Published on: July 21, 2025

Brain Injury Increases Risk of Criminal Behavior

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Persons who have suffered a traumatic brain injury may be at risk of violent or even criminal behavior. A new study points to specific areas of the brain that may suffer damage during a head injury, exposing the individual to the risk of criminal activity after the personal injury.

According to the study, during certain types of traumatic brain injuries, the victim may suffer damage to the right uncinate fasciculus, or white matter pathway in the brain. Damage to this part of the brain may result in a number of consequences. The person may find it difficult to make decisions, and there may also be an impact on the person’s empathy and emotional regulation. The person may find it difficult to differentiate between right and wrong or to feel empathy for another person.

The researchers focused their study on 17 individuals who had suffered a brain injury and then gone on to commit a criminal or violent act. They compared the brain scans of these individuals with more than 700 other individuals who had also suffered some kind of brain damage and suffered from other symptoms like memory loss or depression. The analysis found that the white matter area of the brain was the most commonly damaged part of the brain in those individuals who committed violent or criminal acts after the brain injury.

Published on: June 18, 2025

Brain Decoder Test Results Hold Promise for Spinal Injury Patients

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Thousands of people suffer spinal cord injuries in car accidents every year. Technologies and therapies that make use of sensors and impulses in order to trigger movement point to the way forward in spinal cord injury treatment. A recent study also broke new ground in this field.

The experiment was conducted on 17 persons who had no spinal injury. These persons were made to wear special fitting headgear that measured their brain impulses. They were asked to extend their legs or think about extending them. The researchers then recorded brain waves to identify when a subject moved his leg and intended to move his leg.

The researchers found that the brain waves were very similar in both the actual movements as well as the imagined movements. Using these electrodes, the researchers were able to identify when people were thinking about moving their leg even when they were not actually doing so, based on the brain waves recorded. These people were able to move their legs just by thinking about moving it, helped by the triggering of electrical impulses in the spinal cord.

Published on: June 10, 2025

Data Shows Waymos Linked to Fewer Car Accidents than Tesla Auto Pilots

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

With the increase in the number of driverless cars on our roads, there has been concern about the safety aspect of these vehicles, especially with Tesla’s spotty accident record with these cars. However, new data seems to show that Waymo driverless cars have a much better track record when it comes to safety.

Waymo recently published the results of a research paper which shows that the company’s driverless cars were involved in fewer auto accidents, compared to human-driven cars. The results were based on data involving more than 57 million incidents, compiled regardless of who was at fault in the accident. The analysis of the data found that even compared to human drivers, Waymo driverless taxis were involved in 92% fewer number of car accidents involving pedestrians. That’s encouraging news for transportation safety officials who have been looking for ways to reduce the number of pedestrians being killed in car accidents.

Waymo taxis also performed better in auto accidents involving motorcyclists and bicyclists. There were 82% fewer car accidents resulting in injuries involving motorcycles or bicycles and Waymo cars. There were also 96% fewer intersection accidents involving Waymo cars, and 85% fewer auto accidents involving serious injuries.

Published on: June 2, 2025

Calls for Preventing Pedestrian Accidents at Night

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

While a Congressional hearing considers the safety impact of daylight savings time changes, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is calling on lawmakers to focus on reducing the risk of car accidents involving pedestrians after sundown. Car accidents involving pedestrians often involve very serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths.

It is no secret that pedestrian accident risks increase significantly during low visibility conditions like during night time. A person’s risk of being struck by a car is far higher when he or she is walking in the dark, compared to when he or she is walking in the daytime. There have been congressional hearings recently to analyze the impact of daylight savings time changes on both motorists as well as pedestrians, and simultaneously, calls from some quarters to eliminate daylight savings time changes altogether, because these changes increase car accident risks. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is calling on lawmakers to focus on a much broader issue instead – the fact that both motorists as well as pedestrians are at risk during low visibility conditions, regardless of daylight savings time changes.

Low visibility simply makes it harder for motorists to see pedestrians in time to avoid hitting them. For this reason, it is important for pedestrians to avoid walking in the dark as much as possible. If you must walk around after sundown, make sure that you are wearing reflective clothing that makes it easier for drivers to spot you. Avoid basic mistakes like walking around in dark-colored clothing. Reflective fluorescent jackets and hats are the ideal clothing to wear in the dark. Look into reflective tape that you can fix on your clothes. Remember, the more visible you are, the more likely a motorist will see you in time to avoid hitting you.

Published on: May 28, 2025

Smartphone Tech Could help Prevent Distracted Driving Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Using a smartphone while behind the wheel of a car significantly increases your risks of being involved in an auto accident. However, your smartphone is also likely to come with technology that actually reduces the risks of a car accident, but most motorists do not use this important technology.

Many smartphones now come with technology that reduces the distractions that come with using a smartphone in the first place. For example, many smartphones now come with “Do not Disturb” features that drivers can activate when they begin driving to avoid having to deal with answering phone calls and replying to text messages while driving. Such technology is proving to be very useful. In fact, a new study published by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds that this technology can be very helpful in reducing distractions and preventing auto accidents.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted the survey and found that younger drivers, who are much more likely to use smartphones while driving, are also the most likely to be aware of such technologies in their smartphones. Older drivers are not as likely to be familiar with Do not Disturb features and other apps that can help eliminate distractions at the wheel. However, far too many drivers continue to drive without activating these technologies in their smartphones.

Published on: May 23, 2025

Georgia Invests in Auto Accident Prevention Efforts

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The state of Georgia recently allocated $2.5 million for personal injury and car accident prevention efforts across the state in the form of several grants.

We definitely need greater investments in the field of auto accident and personal injury prevention in order to help reduce the number of people fatally or seriously injured in auto accidents every year. That means investments in awareness and education campaigns, planning and infrastructure, updating of records and databases, and updates to existing medical and emergency care systems. The recent grants announced in Georgia target several different areas that have long required attention.

The Georgia Department of Public Health has announced an investment of more than $1.7 million in the Injury Prevention Program’s Child Occupant Safety Project. This program promotes the safety of child passengers in automobiles across Georgia, helping provide car seat installation advice and guidance to thousands of parents and caregivers across the state. Child passengers are some of the most vulnerable passengers in any auto accident, and this grant will provide more funds to make sure that training is available not just to parents, but also to medical and health care professionals, emergency responders, firefighters and law enforcement officers. The goal is to make sure personal injuries to these vulnerable passengers are minimized or avoided all together.

Published on: May 19, 2025

Emory Researchers Focus on Seatbelt Usage

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Seatbelts are the single most effective piece of life-saving equipment in modern automobiles, helping protect thousands of motorists against severe personal injuries in car accidents every year. Researchers at Emory are making good use of a grant to study seatbelt usage rates in Georgia and how they can be expanded.

Researchers at the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory received a grant of more than $300,000 from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The grant has been made to encourage researchers to monitor seatbelt usage rates across Georgia and track the rates of distracted driving. Understanding these issues will provide researchers the information they need to develop strategies to increase seatbelt use thereby preventing auto accidents.

Seatbelt usage rates in Georgia are on the higher side, but could always be better. According to the researchers, seatbelt rates in Georgia increased from 87.6% in 2023 to 88.8% in 2024. Georgia motorists have gotten better at buckling up over the past few decades, thanks to the awareness efforts of transportation authorities and strict enforcement of existing seatbelt laws. However, there is always room for improvement. Seatbelts are the first line of defense against major personal injuries when a person is involved in a car accident. A person who is safely buckled in is less likely to be smashed against the windshield or against the interior of the car, thereby making it less likely that he or she will sustain serious or life-threatening personal injuries.

Published on: April 24, 2025

Three Things to Do to Prevent Distracted Driving Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In 2023, according to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 3,000 people were killed in car accidents caused by distracted drivers. The month of April is dedicated to commemorating the importance of preventing these car accidents, and is the right time to learn how best to protect yourself against these auto accidents.

According to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2023, 3,275 people were killed in distracted driving-related car accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration includes a number of activities under the term “distracted driving”. These activities include texting and talking on the cell phone while driving, adjusting the radio, taking selfies, applying makeup, smoking and drinking while driving.

The large number of wrongful deaths that are caused each year by distracted drivers in auto accidents is the reason why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration dedicates a special month as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. This April, you are likely to see more content on social media and around you dedicated to making people understand the dangers of being distracted while driving, and encouraging motorists to avoid using their cell phones and avoid distractions while behind the wheel. You are also likely to see more law enforcement officers enforcing Georgia’s laws against using cell phones while driving.

Published on: April 14, 2025

Your Medications Could Increase Your Car Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The medications that you are currently taking could increase your risks of being involved in an auto accident. Since car accidents are a major cause of severe personal injuries, it is important to evaluate the medications you are taking to determine if they increase your risk of an accident. If so, you may wish to adjust your driving habits to reduce the risk of being in an accident and suffering injuries.

Most medications come with little or no drowsy driving risks. Many of them, however, do include risks that can affect a persons’ driving abilities, and patients may remain unaware of the dangers of using these medications, especially when they operate a motor vehicle. Some medications are widely known to have drowsiness- inducing properties. For instance, anti-allergy medications or those that are used to treat common colds and coughs may come with ingredients that increase a person’s sleepiness and make him feel lethargic. A person using these drugs is much more likely to cause an accident if he is driving a vehicle while under the influence of the drug. Medications that include codeine and hydrocodone, for example, are strongly linked with drowsiness and fatigue.

Apart from cold medications and antihistamines, many Americans now take a wide range of medications to treat a variety of conditions. There has been an explosion in lifestyle conditions, and millions of Americans now take beta blockers to treat heart disease and cardiovascular conditions. Beta blockers can cause symptoms like giddiness, dizziness and extreme tiredness that could prove dangerous when the person is behind the wheel. Anti-anxiety medications, antipsychotic drugs as well as anti-depressants are also strongly linked to drowsiness.