According to data from 2009, the city of Atlanta ranks at number four in the number of auto accidents.It also ranks at number six in the number of accident-related wrongful deaths that same year.
The data which comes from the American Auto Association has no surprises for Atlanta car accident lawyers who are familiar with the auto safety culture in the city.In 2009, 498 people died in accidents in Atlanta.More than 62,000 people suffered a personal injury in car accidents in the city.
These accidents took not only a devastating personal toll, but also wreaked substantial economic damage.The metro Atlanta region suffered losses to the tune of more than $11 million in 2009 because of auto accident-related costs.Only Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York fared worse than Atlanta.The overall accident-related costs in the US totaled $299.5 billion.That’s more than three times the $97.7 billion cost of congestion.
It’s no secret that Atlanta’s notoriously congested traffic has a lot to do with high accident rates in the region.Congested traffic leads to bad driver moods, tailgating and other undesirable behaviors that increase the risk of accidents.Congested traffic is also a major source of road rage, which also leads to accidents and injuries.Additionally, auto accidents are more likely to occur when there are more cars competing for space on the roadways.Atlanta’s traffic safety problems could be reduced by tackling the source of traffic congestion, the lack of a truly extensive mass transit system.
Additionally, Atlanta car accident lawyers would like also like to see fewer motorists using cell phones while driving.Using a cell phone or texting while driving is poor behavior in any kind of situation.However, in a city like Atlanta with the kind of traffic congestion that we have, this is almost suicidal behavior.You can’t afford not to have your attention 100% on the road ahead when you have dozens of other cars on the same road with you.Georgia now has a law that bans people from texting while driving.However, the law is still new, and it’s too early to tell how effective it will be in curbing this very undesirable practice.
Atlanta drunk driving accident lawyers also come across far too many alcohol-related car crashes in the metro Atlanta region.Although the number of accidents caused by alcohol use has declined over the past few years, hundreds of lives are lost to intoxicated driving every year.Speeding is another major killer in Atlanta, and contributes to the highest number of fatalities every.Nationally, speeding is the number one factor in car accidents followed by intoxicated driving.
Although Atlanta faces numerous challenges like traffic congestion that increase motorists’ risk of accidents, none of these challenges are insurmountable.What is required is the will and dedication on the part of state and local transportation safety agencies.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent persons injured in automobile accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.