Car Accidents

Published on: September 19, 2023

Threat of Drunk Driving Auto Accidents Looms Over Labor Day

Statistics from last year show that Labor Day was the second deadliest holiday in the United States in 2022, and this year, with the incidence of drunk driving on the rise, the risk of alcohol – related car accidents has never been higher.

Last year, one study by a car insurance app found that the Labor Day Holiday weekend ranked second only to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the number of fatal car accidents recorded. The study analyzed data between 2011 and 2020, and found that the Labor Day holiday was the second most dangerous holiday in the country. Over the study period, the data showed that more than 4000 people were killed in car accidents over Labor Day, many of them caused by drunk drivers. Approximately, 25% of deaths involved teens and young people in their mid 20s. About 70% of this category of drivers were male. The second most at- risk category of drivers during the Labor Day holiday were drivers between the age of 26 and 35.

Drunk driving is likely fueling this increase in car accident deaths. Recent data shows that driving under the influence of alcohol is actually on the increase across the country. Between 2020 and 2021, there was an increase of approximately 14% in fatal alcohol – related car accidents. Overall, there was an increase of approximately 10% in car accident deaths during the same period of time. Clearly, the role of alcohol in causing car accidents is increasing, and this is a cause of concern.

Published on: September 15, 2023

Feds Propose Seatbelt Warning System for Rear Seat Passengers

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The federal administration is proposing a new seatbelt warning system that would apply to occupants of the back seat as well as the front seat passenger. It is a move that could significantly help reduce the number of people killed in car accidents on America’s roads every year. It is important to keep in mind that persons in the rear seats are injured in car accidents, especially in rear-end accidents and T-bone accidents.

In 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Acting Administrator, approximately 43,000 people were killed in car accidents and approximately 50% of them were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the auto accident. Their chances of surviving the crash could have significantly improved had they been buckled in. Unfortunately, the current law only requires seat belt reminder systems for drivers, but has no such requirements for front seat passengers as well as occupants of the rear seat of the car. These people are also at a very high risk of suffering fatal injuries in the event of an auto accident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently issued a Proposed Rule which requires motor vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds to have seatbelt reminder systems for all passengers in the car, including front seat and backseat passengers. The requirement would require a visual alert that would go on for approximately 60 seconds and would alert the driver to the status of rear seatbelt usage. It would also require an audible alert that would alert the driver when a backseat passenger removes the seat belt while the vehicle is in operation. The rule would also require an audio visual alert system for the right front seat passenger to buckle his seatbelt. Auto manufacturers would have the flexibility to decide how frequently and how loud the audible reminder system should be.

Published on: September 11, 2023

Texting Ban Leads to Drop in Georgia Car Accident Rates

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A law that prohibits the use of hand cell phones while driving for Georgia motorists has possibly contributed to a drop in the number of auto accidents caused by distracted drivers in the state. Unfortunately, before the law was passed, there were a significant number of car accidents in Georgia involving persons talking and texting while driving.

According to representatives at the Georgia Governors of Highway Safety, there has been a reduction in the number of car accidents directly caused by distracted motorists since the ban was passed. The law which prohibits Georgia motorists from using a handheld cell phone to send or receive text messages or to even touch a telephone while driving was passed in 2017, and went into effect the following year.

The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety only has statistics for the year 2021, and the data for that year seems to indicate that the number of people convicted for handheld cell phone use increased significantly after the stricter ban was enacted. There were more than 43,000 distracted driving convictions in 2021 for violation of the ban. Many of these involved people who were driving while holding their cell phones. That was a significant four -fold increase from 2017.

Published on: September 8, 2023

Improperly Installed Car Seats Increase Risk of Personal Injuries in Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Car seats for young children are an extremely important safety device. Every parent recalls having to deal with situation of installing a car seat for the first time or when they get a new car. Unfortunately, far too many car seats are improperly installed, exposing children in the seats to the risk of potential life – threatening personal injuries in car accidents.

Securing a child in a car seat is an absolute must before any journey. Most parents, fortunately, in Georgia, are aware of the need to restrain children in car seats. Car seats should not only be used every time for young children, but also must be appropriate to the age and weight of the child. Many car seats have been designed to be easy to use, in order to make it easy for parents to install these seats. Unfortunately, even with these easy –to use designs, parents still make errors in the installation of these car seats.

According to a new study, too many seats are being improperly installed, exposing the children in the seats to the risk of potentially catastrophic or even life- threatening personal injuries in the event of an auto accident. The researchers looked at seat check data from between 2015 and 2019, and found that approximately 70% or an overwhelming majority of all the errors involved car seats installed with seat belts. Other errors involved recline angles. About half of the errors involved top tether on forward – facing car seats. The tether is an important component of the car seat and is meant to be attached to the vehicle, and according to the study, many parents either fail to secure it or secure it incorrectly.

Published on: September 1, 2023

More than 60% of Seniors with Cognitive Declines Continue to Drive

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A vast percentage of seniors who have age-related cognitive declines continue to operate motor vehicles, seriously increasing their risks of being involved in an auto accident. Senior are especially susceptible to serious personal injuries when involved in a car accident which makes preventing these accidents a high priority.

According to a new study, far too many seniors who have impaired cognitive abilities or thinking declines as per a cognitive assessment score continue to operate motor vehicles without hesitation. The study found that more than 600 adults in a particular county suffered from thinking declines as per the cognitive assessment test, and that more than 61% of these persons who suffered cognitive declines continued to drive.

Suffering a cognitive decline does not automatically mean that a person may be unable to drive. In fact, not all of the caregivers who were involved in the study believed that the senior drivers in the study had their driving skills affected by their cognitive difficulties. About one -third of the caregivers admitted to having concerns about the driver’s ability to safely operate a car. However, there are safety issues involved when a person with cognitive issues takes to the road.

Published on: August 29, 2023

Study: Traumatic Brain Injury Similar to Chronic Conditions

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Persons who have suffered a traumatic brain injury due to an auto accident or any other type of accident may suffer from long term consequences that are very similar to the symptoms suffered by persons living with a chronic condition.

Those conclusions came from a new study recently published in the Neurology journal. The researchers analyzed data on more than 900 patients who had suffered mild traumatic brain injury like concussions as well as 200 patients with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, and compared these patients to a group of 150 patients with no history of a traumatic brain injury. Brain injuries are frequently suffered by persons involved in car accidents, slip and fall accidents and even due to medical malpractice. As part of the research, the persons were asked about physical symptoms like headache and fatigue. They were also asked about their thinking abilities, especially the ability to perform daily and routine tasks, as well as their overall mental health and memory.

They found in their analysis that 21% of the persons with a mild brain injury suffered declines overall, compared to 26% of the persons with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Among the persons with no brain injury, the decline was just 15%.

Published on: August 7, 2023

Muscle Cars Drive Spike in Car Accident Wrongful Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There are a significant number of persons in the United States who like to drive what are commonly called “muscle cars.” These are cars with high horsepower which are capable of high speeds and fast acceleration. Examples of cars often referred to as “muscle cars” include the Dodge Charger, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, Dodge Challenger and the Camaro. Unfortunately, some muscle cars have been identified with an increase in car accident wrongful deaths.

A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that smaller cars that have more powerful engines can be deadly for not just motorists and passengers, but also for drivers of other cars. Traditionally, safety experts have believed that larger vehicles like SUVs and pickup trucks are more dangerous for drivers and passengers of other vehicles in the event of an accident. However, the dangers may be even more serious in the case of smaller muscle cars like the Ford Mustang or other similar vehicles.

Muscle cars are basically smaller American cars that have increased horsepower. These are boxy cars that usually have 2 doors and a powerful engine. These cars are typically marketed to a certain type of consumer, and the study believes that the way in which these cars are marketed also contributes to the higher death rates associated with these vehicles.

Published on: August 4, 2023

Compliance -Based Interlock Laws Help Prevent Drunk Driving Auto Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

When an individual has been convicted of drunk driving, they often are required to have an ignition interlock device placed on their cars. These devices prevent a person from starting a car until they have passed a breath test for driving. States have passed compliance laws that strictly require individuals who have had an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle after a DUI offense to comply with these devices. The devices can only be removed once the person has shown to have complied with the devices for a defined period of time. These compliance laws seem to have much higher success than other methods of preventing repeat offenses and reducing the risk of alcohol – related car accidents.

Those findings come from a new study conducted by the Governors Highway Safety Association. The report focused on the effectiveness of compliance- based removal components in ignition interlock device laws. Currently, all states, including Georgia, have some form of ignition interlock device laws which require that they get devices installed in their vehicles that prevent them from operating their vehicle if their system contains more than a certain amount of alcohol. At least 33 states have compliance- based removal laws in place that clearly define conditions that must be met for an exit from the interlock device requirement. Georgia, unfortunately, does not have a compliance- based removal component as part of its ignition interlock device laws.

The Governors Highway Safety Association focused on two states that have compliance – based removal laws and two states that do not have such laws. The study established that states that have compliance -based laws have much lower recidivism rates for drunk driving compared to states that do not have such compliance laws in place. The Governors Highway Safety Association researchers say that there is no way to absolutely confirm that these higher recidivism rates in states that do not have compliance -based removal laws were related to the absence of these laws and that other factors could also play a role. But they also stress that compliance -based removal laws do provide an extra layer of protection that can prevent these auto accidents. The researchers are encouraging states like Georgia to review their ignition interlock laws to identify deficiencies and correct these in order to make these laws more effective.

Published on: August 1, 2023

Brain Injury Caused by Car Accidents Could Result in Unique Form of Depression

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Researchers have known for a while that a brain injury can result in depression, but the kind of depression that a traumatic brain injury causes is different from other forms of depression. Traumatic brain injuries often arise out of car accidents, motorcycle accidents, trucking accidents, or any other event that causes a significant impact to the head.

A new study finds that the kind of depression that results after a brain injury may be different from regular depression with some unique symptoms. In fact, the researchers believe that brain injury -related depression could possibly be its own distinct condition. These are important findings because they shed new light on the kind of consequences that a brain injury patient can suffer.

For years now, researchers have known that depression can set in after a person has suffered a brain injury, but there have been questions about whether the depression is a result of the injury itself or because of the trauma related to the car accident or incident that caused the personal injury. The general consensus, however, is that the depression is caused by the personal injury.

Published on: July 30, 2023

Auto Braking Accident Prevention Systems could soon be Required on All Cars thus Greatly Reducing the Chance of a Car Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

When a proposed new rule by the federal government becomes final, most cars in the United States will come with automatic emergency braking systems that will significantly reduce the risk of car accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed a rule that would require the installation of automatic emergency braking systems on nearly all cars and pickup trucks in the United States. The rule will require that all light passenger cars and trucks that weigh 10,000 pounds or less come with these systems after the publication of the final rule. The rule will also require that automatic emergency braking systems recognize pedestrians at night.

After a period of 3 years from the final publication of the rule, all vehicles in the country will be required to have these systems. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that a significant number of lives will be saved every year as a result of the widespread adoption of the technology. It is specifically believed that 360 lives will be saved in car accidents every year and more than 24,000 injuries will be prevented as a result of the use of the technology.