Car Accidents

Published on: April 27, 2020

NTSB Calls on States to Act to Prevent Bicycle Accident Deaths

The National Transportation Safety Board is calling on Georgia and other states to take stringent action to reduce the number of bicyclists killed in accidents every year.

The National Transportation Board recently released its first report on bicycle safety since 1972. The Board makes note of the fact that there has been a spike in bicycle accident deaths, specifically the 857 bicycle accident deaths that occurred in 2018. There was an increase in bicycle accident deaths in 2018, even as there was an overall drop in auto accidents that year. Those numbers were an increase of 6.3 percent from the previous year. In fact, the bicycle accident death toll in 2018 was the highest number on record since 1990.

The record fatality numbers in 2018 is likely the reason why the National Transportation Safety Board has decided to address the issue of bicycle safety for the first time since 1972. The Board makes note of the poor infrastructure that is often the cause of bicycle accidents. Too many cities in Georgia have seen an increase in their bicycle population, but oftentimes there is no safe infrastructure in place to support it. This situation has resulted in a staggering increase in bicycle accident deaths in urban areas. Since 2009, the number of bicycle accident deaths in urban areas has increased by a whopping 48 percent.

Published on: April 21, 2020

Empty Streets Lately Mean More Super-Speeders on the Roads

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Lately, there have been quite a few news stories of people driving on the roads with excessive speed. While most people are currently under shelter-in-place orders, this means that there are fewer cars on the road and less traffic to navigate. In fact, pictures have been circulating widely of empty roadways in the usually most traffic congested cities. This has resulted in some drivers taking advantage of the empty streets and pushing the envelope on speed limits.

In the metro-Atlanta area, this behavior has been seen both on the local streets in town as well as the area’s highways. Some drivers are not only engaging in excessive speeding, but there are others that are actually racing on the streets.

This driving at excessive speeds has caused deadly accidents with devastating results. Most recently in Atlanta, an 11 year-old child was struck and killed by a speeding driver, and a police officer was also killed in a deadly high speed accident.

Published on: April 12, 2020

Uber, Lyft Linked to Higher Rates of Pedestrian Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft became very popular very quickly over the past few years. Although people are not using these services as much recently due to the COVID-19 crisis, ride-sharing will most likely make a comeback once the current shelter-in-place restrictions are lifted.

Uber and Lyft have been around since 2010, and the rise of these ride-sharing services has proved very useful in helping reduce the incidence of drunk driving accidents. However, the rate of other accidents, including pedestrian accidents involving these cars, has actually increased.

Uber and Lyft became very popular among people wanting safe rides back home. These ride-sharing services have been found to be especially useful in helping curb the number of drunk drivers on our streets. Uber allows riders to hail rides if they are too drunk to drive themselves home. That translates into safer options for a person to get home and a reduced chance of being involved in a drunk driving accident. The rates of alcohol-related accidents in several cities have dropped as a direct result of intoxicated persons being encouraged to use Uber rides that are so easily available.

Published on: March 31, 2020

Increased number of workers could be an increase in accident claims.

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In the past few weeks while the country, and globe, has been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of workers in a variety of fields have been laid-off, furloughed, or told to work from home.

However, there are still several industries and businesses that remain open during these times. The businesses that do remain open are usually ones that have seen a surge in demand, such as grocery or other essential retain, and delivery providers. With the sudden increase in the need for additional workers, many employers have had to forego the usual interview requirements, safety screening or training in order to meet new demands. While having people still be able to participate in the workforce is essential during these times, will these short-cut hiring practices result on more problems, and more specifically accidents, down the road?

One of the potential problems that may result is more on-the-job injuries by employees who were not adequately trained or protected to perform their jobs. States have laws that require most employers to have workers compensation insurance in case their employees become injured on the job. In many states, including Georgia, filing a workers compensation claim is the exclusive remedy that an employee has against an if he or she sustains an injury at work. The more employees are performing tasks that are unfamiliar to them, the more likelihood there is of any injury.

Published on: February 23, 2020

Spring Time Change Means Greater Risk of Drowsy Driving Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Daylight Savings Time kicks in across Georgia on March 8^th. And while many people look forward to the longer daylight hours, the change in time also means disrupted sleep schedules as people lose that one hour of sleep. This in turn means many people are getting behind a wheel and driving to work or elsewhere while drowsy. Unfortunately, drowsy driving is a cause of many accidents across the metro Atlanta region every year

Starting March 8 and through the month of November, clocks in Georgia will be set forward by an hour. That means losing an hour of sleep in your schedule. Many Georgians are already sleeping less than the recommended 8 hours per night, and losing one more hour due to spring time change only increases the risk of drowsiness while driving to work. This spring, take steps to avoid driving while drowsy.

First, get to bed an hour earlier to make up for the loss of sleep. Avoid staying up late at night with social media on your phone, computer, or other electronics. Always being on social media can be a cause for loss of sleep, and while it may be tempting to check your phone for one more Instagram update or Tweet one last time before sleeping, keep in mind that it can be dangerous for your state of mind and your driving skills the next day. Plus, the blue light exposure from electronics right before you go to bed will only prolong you being able to fall asleep.

Published on: January 26, 2020

Nanoparticle Tech Promises to be First Real Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that as many 2.5 million people in the United States suffer a brain injury every year. Brain injuries can be a result of many types of accidents including slip and falls, car accidents and bicycle accidents. Brain injuries are especially common in motorcycle accidents and can occur even if a motorcyclist is wearing a helmet while riding.

A brain injury can forever change a person’s life. Traumatic brain injury can severely disrupt a person’s ability lead a productive and normal life. Depending on the severity of the injury, there may be numerous repercussions on the individual’s ability to perform daily routine functions.

A complete treatment for a brain injury has proven elusive, although there are advancements that can help reduce the severity of the injury, and thereby, the consequences of the injury. Typically, these treatments have to be administered within the first few hours of the brain injury in order to limit the severity of the injury.

Published on: January 18, 2020

More Binge Drinking Means Greater Number of Drunk Driving Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Binge drinking is defined as the consumption of an excess amount of alcohol. A person who engages in binge drinking can suffer from a number of consequences, including not surprisingly, drunk driving accidents. A new study has found that binge drinking among Americans has fallen sharply in terms of frequency. Despite the drop in frequency, however, when people do decide to binge drink they are consuming more drinks than ever before.

According to the research, the frequency at which Americans drink excessively has fallen. The research by scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that between 2011 and 2017, the number of Americans admitting that they drank excessively during a single session fell from 18.9 percent to 18 percent. However, when it came to the number of drinks consumed at a binge session, there was a sharp increase. Between 2011 and 2017, the number of drinks annually consumed by adults who reported drinking excessively during a single session jumped significantly from 472 in 2011 to 529 in 2017. So, while the number of times that Americans drink excessively has dropped, the intensity of these sessions has increased sharply.

Interestingly enough, the increase in the number of drinks consumed in a single session increased the highest in the 35 and over age group. While it is commonly believed that younger Americans, especially college students, are the age group that binge drinks the most, that doesn’t seem to be the case. If anything, younger college-aged Americans are actually consuming less alcohol during a single binge. The number of drinks consumed annually by college students who admitted to binge drinking, fell from 619 drinks a year in 2011 to 545 by 2017. Some statistics have remained the same however, over the years. Males are still much likelier to report binge drinking, compared to females.

Published on: January 4, 2020

Recovering Damages for Whiplash Injuries in Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Whiplash injuries are some of the more common injuries suffered by people who have been in a car accident. Whiplash injuries are often seen in fender-bender accidents when a car has been rear-ended by another vehicle. Surprisingly, as many as a million people suffer whiplash injuries every year in such crashes.

Though these are not life threatening injuries, they can be extremely painful, and can impede a person’s ability to perform his or her daily functions. Unfortunately, these injuries tend to be often neglected which can lead to serious complications. Whiplash injuries are not visible to the naked eye, and in most cases, there is no swelling or inflammation with these injuries. In fact in most situations, the symptoms of whiplash may not be seen immediately after the injury. What’s more, doctors may not test for whiplash unless symptoms are seen, which only further delays treatment.

Whiplash injuries occur when the force of the impact causes the head and the neck to be thrown back and forth at high speeds. Injuries may involve the neck and shoulder muscles, bones, and tendons. These injuries can occur even in low-speed or low-impact accidents.

Published on: December 28, 2019

Driving in Wet Weather: Risks and Liabilities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

This time of year in the metro-Atlanta region is usually wet and rainy. This kind of weather not only puts a damper on holiday activities, but can also make engaging in any other activity more difficult than normal. For instance, driving in wet weather is always more dangerous. The roads are slick and slippery, and visibility is impaired, all of which makes for very challenging driving conditions. If you can, it’s always best to avoid driving in stormy weather. You should be driving in such weather only in case of an emergency.

Driving in wet weather means having to adjust your driving to accommodate for the rough road conditions, the bad weather and poor visibility. Whether you are driving in light showers or in the middle of a rain storm, it’s important to be cautious and modify your regular driving for the difficult challenges facing you. Unfortunately, most drivers drive on auto pilot, meaning that they don’t take into consideration the changes in the environment and conditions around them that could place them at serious risk of an accident.

Poor visibility during wet weather is one of the more dangerous conditions that can affect your safety during driving. You should always turn on your headlights and keep them on when you’re driving in wet weather, or even when it’s overcast. This will not only increase visibility for you in this weather, but will also make your car more visible to other motorists.

Published on: November 8, 2019

Women More Likely to be injured in Accidents; Yet Safety Testing Focuses on Men

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

It may be surprising to learn that women are as much as 73 percent more likely to suffer serious injuries in a car accident compared to men. Yet, the country’s federal safety regulatory authorities continue to ignore the need for testing standards that focus on the unique physiological differences between male and female bodies.

Hopefully this will change soon as at least one lawmaker is calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to include crash test dummies that mimic the unique physiological and anatomical differences of females in 2019 in the design of its crash tests.

This is not the first time that attention has been drawn to the fact that women’s safety receives less priority when it comes to crash testing standards and auto safety. As far back as 1981, experts proposed that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration use crash test dummies representing the average female occupant of a motor vehicle. However, no real steps have been taken to address this safety concern in the close to four decades since that first proposal was submitted. Even when female crash test dummies are used, the dummy is an outdated model that was designed in the 1970s and only represents 5 percent of American women today. In fact, this particular dummy design is also actually used to substitute for dummies representing 12 and 13 -year -old child occupants.