Car Accidents

Published on: November 23, 2010

US Behind in Preventing Fatal Accidents

Speeding Cameras, DUI Enforcement Could Prevent More Fatal Accidents Every Year

A new study should be a wake-up call for those who have been celebrating the fact that traffic accident fatality levels are at their lowest levels in decades. According to the study, the US is actually faring very poorly in comparison to countries like France and Australia, in reducing highway accident fatalities.

The study, by the influential National Research Council, compared traffic accident fatality rates in this country with other countries, including European countries, Japan, Australia and other developed nations. The US has made some of the least amount of progress in reducing the number of deaths. The study found that since 1995, France has managed to reduce its traffic accident fatalities by 52%, compared to 19% in the US.

Published on: November 17, 2010

Fatal Car Accidents Linked to Drowsy Driving

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Study Indicates One in Six Fatal Accidents Linked to Drowsy Driving

It’s time to wake up to the serious dangers posed by motorists who drive when they’re in a sleepy or tired state.A new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that one in every six fatal auto accidents in the US is caused by a drowsy motorist.In fact, these drivers likely account for approximately 17% of all auto accidents in the country.

No Atlanta car accident attorney would deny that those are sobering statistics.You don’t want to share the road with a motorist who is in serious danger of simply dozing off at the wheel.Yet, more than 41% of the respondents in the AAA study admitted that they had driven while they were very sleepy, at least once in their lifetime.Even worse, 27% of the respondents in the study admitted that over the previous month, they had driven while they were so sleepy they could barely see straight.

Published on: November 17, 2010

Reckless Driving Blamed for Fatal Gwinnett County Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Gwinnett County police are blaming reckless driving and failure to maintain lanes for a fatal accident over the weekend that killed a 19-year-old. A Valdosta man has been charged in the accident, which occurred on Sunday. According to police, the crash occurred near Lawrenceville. The suspect, James Griffin was driving a Silverado that swerved between lanes as it traveled southward on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road, and then became airborne. The pickup truck landed on a Toyota Camry. The driver of the Camry was killed instantly in the accident.

The accident continues to remain under investigation, but police have already charged James Griffin with reckless driving and failure to maintain lanes.

Reckless driving is driving without regard for the rules of the road, or for other motorists’ safety. Such driving is much more harmful than merely disobeying traffic rules. Typically, reckless driving may include speeding, weaving between lanes, changing lanes improperly, running through red lights and other such undesirable driving practices.

Published on: November 16, 2010

Improving Auto Accident Rates Among Elderly Drivers

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

As more and more elderly drivers retain their licenses, lowering traffic traffic accident rates among elderly drivers is a growing concern.A San Francisco-based company is now proposing that video games can improve the driving of the elderly.Posit Science has sponsored studies that show that its driver training software for elderly drivers does help minimize the risk of accidents involving the elderly.

The study divided 908 people into four groups. The average age of the group members was 72 years. One group was given the Posit Science games to play for 10 hours, the second was given training on improving reasoning skills, and the third group was given training on improving memory skills. The fourth group was given no aid at all. After six years, the researchers found that the elderly persons who were given the Posit Science games to play reported a 50% lower rate of accidents, than those who took the memory training and those who had no stimulation at all.

Posit Science claims that it is currently conducting more studies using its video games to help elderly motorists avoid accidents. As Atlanta car accident attorneys, we are not sure how we should take the results of a study that is conducted by the company that markets the products. However, it is good to see that there’s a lot of awareness in the market about the specific concerns relating to elderly motorists and their risks of accidents.

Published on: November 10, 2010

Motorist in Deadly Georgia Easter Accident Sentenced to 36 Years in Prison

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Motorist in Deadly Georgia Easter Accident Sentenced to 36 Years in Prison

The BMW driver, who was involved in a deadly car accident that killed a total of five people last Easter in Fulton County, has been sentenced to six years in prison.Aimee Michaels also received 14 years of probation, and has been ordered to surrender her driver’s license, and not to operate a motor vehicle.Her mother was sentenced to eight years for tampering with evidence and hindering her daughter’s arrest.

The accident occurred on April 12 last year.Michaels apparently lost control of the BMW she was driving, and struck a Mercedes.The impact of the accident sent the Mercedes crashing into a Volkswagen.The Mercedes burst into flames.All four occupants, including a couple, a nine-year-old girl and an infant boy were killed instantly in the crash.In the Volkswagen were a woman and her nine-year-old daughter.The daughter was killed in the crash.It was one of the deadliest crashes that Atlanta car accident lawyers had seen in recent times.

Published on: October 26, 2010

Pedestrian Child Critically Injured in McDuffie County Bus Accident involving Truck

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Georgia State Patrol investigators are investigating a pedestrian accident involving a third-grade boy, who was critically injured in an accident as he was getting into his school bus. The pedestrian accident occurred last Tuesday.As the school bus pulled over, the boy who was waiting at the stop, walked into the road to get on the bus.At that point, he was struck by a pickup truck. The boy was thrown about 50 feet away from the point of impact.He sustained critical injuries, and is being treated at a local hospital.

The driver of the school bus says that he had stopped the bus, and a stop sign was clearly visible at the time of the accident.However, the driver of the pickup truck insists that the bus had not stopped moving when the accident occurred, and the stop sign was not out when his vehicle hit the boy.Neighbors in the area have their own explanation for the accident.They say there’s a serious problem with speeding motorists on that stretch of road.

This accident came during the same week as another crash involving a school bus in Barrow County.In that accident, several students were injured when their bus was rear-ended by a Jeep.None of the students were seriously injured.

Published on: October 22, 2010

Five Persons Injured in Georgia School Bus Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In the most recent in a string of serious school bus accidents in Georgia, five people have been injured in an accident involving a stopped school bus in Barrow County. The accident occurred on Wednesday. There were 14 students on the bus when the accident occurred.According to witnesses, the bus had its warning lights activated, and was unloading passengers when it was rear-ended by a Jeep.The driver of the Jeep suffered serious injuries, and was rushed to the hospital.Three students on the bus also suffered injuries, and had to taken to the Barrow Regional Medical Center.The students had been standing up at the time of the accident, waiting for their turn to exit the bus.The children reportedly sustained bumps and bruises.The driver also sustained injuries.

According to news reports, the school bus had had its warning lights activated.Moreover, the accident occurred during daylight.Investigators will likely be looking at the reason why the pickup truck driver was unable to stop before he rear-ended the school bus.

Georgia School Bus Accident Claims

Published on: October 21, 2010

Atlanta Motorist Charged in Fatal Auto Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Police have charged the driver of a vehicle involved in a deadly auto accident in Atlanta over the weekend.According to Atlanta police, 21-year-old Mujahid Saleem was driving a car on Interstate 285 when the accident occurred.At some point, the car went through a grassy median, and crashed through a guardrail.It then flipped flip over, and landed on its roof.There were four passengers in the car.Two of them were killed instantly, while another passenger has sustained serious back injuries.

Saleem now faces two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide.Investigations into the accident are going on, but so far, police have no clues about what caused the accident.

Being involved in an auto accident can be one of the most traumatic experiences of a person’s life.Even moderate injuries may require hospitalization, and involve hefty doctor fees, medication costs, costs of diagnostic tests and other medical-related expenses.Once you have received the emergency medical care you need, it is time to begin thinking of meeting the rest of your medical and rehabilitation expenses.You will also need to think about getting back on your feet, and getting back to work.

Published on: October 20, 2010

Georgia Teen Driver Week – Preventing Auto Accidents by Teens

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The week from October 17-23 is being marked as National Teen Driver Safety Week.For parents in Georgia, Atlanta car accident attorneys, schools and communities, it’s time to renew efforts towards preventing auto accidentsand truck accidents involving teens.

Automobile accidents are the number one cause of death for teenagers aged between 15 and 19 and cause a substantial number of teen injuries.Unfortunately, these facts have not changed in spite of years of efforts to prevent teen accidents.This National Teen Driver Safety Week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is launching a campaign called “Parents Have the Key” aimed at encouraging parental involvement in teen motorist safety. We all have to do more to prevent teen auto accidents, but the best place to start preventing accidents is at home.

There’s a reason why a special week for teen motorist safety is commemorated in the month of October.This is the month that is believed to be the deadliest for teen motorists.Nationally, the highest number of car accident claims involving teen motorists is filed in the month of October.

Published on: October 16, 2010

Parental Influence Critical in Creating Responsible Teen Motorists and Avoiding Auto Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Last week, a teenager was killed in a deadly Cobb County auto accident that also left two children injured.The auto accident made headlines partly because the injured belonged to the family of a gubernatorial candidate.However, it was the loss of yet another teen life in an auto accident that caught our attention.As car accident attorneys in Atlanta and parents, we have strongly promoted teen motorist safety, especially the role of parents in creating a generation of safe teen drivers.A new study indicates that we are right.

According to this study, many parents are making a mistake by allowing teenagers to get their driver’s license even before they’re ready for it.The result is generally more accidents involving young teens than those who waited. The study involved 50 families in North Carolina, who were monitored over a period of four months after the teenager in the family received his driver’s license.The families were monitored through cameras that were installed in the cars of these families.

Approximately 50% of the parents in the study admitted that there were situations in which they were not comfortable letting their child drive.For instance, these parents were not comfortable allowing their children to drive in bad weather or in heavy traffic.However, even among these parents, one third went ahead and allowed their child to get his driver’s license anyway.