Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: December 9, 2021

Call to Scrap Daylight Savings Time for Role in Causing Accidents

Daylight savings time has ended in Georgia which has many people bemoaning about the shorter days. However, researchers have found that the darker morning hours during the daylight savings period may actually do more harm than good, especially for people on the road. Debates are rising about the effectiveness of this measure in keeping people rested and safe.

In Georgia, daylight savings time kicked off on March 14, 2021 and ended on November 7, 2021. Most states that have the measure in place are no longer on daylight savings time as of the last week of November. Debates are now rising about the need for daylight savings time in the first place.

The Department of Transportation says that daylight savings time helps reduce the risk of traffic accidents, and has a number of other benefits including the prevention of crime. Not all experts agree, however. There is concern that daylight savings time which results in the elimination of an extra hour of sleep for many Georgians simply increases their risk of drowsiness and fatigue. Both of these are factors that are very often cited in car crashes.

Published on: December 4, 2021

Technology Can help Protect Senior Drivers in Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Cars have become more and more technologically advanced each new year. While some drivers may find these new technologies difficult to navigate, learning how to use them may help prevent a serious accident and even a fatality. Certain types of auto technologies may be especially beneficial in helping protect senior motorists and passengers from serious injuries in an accident.

Auto safety technology like lane departure warning systems and forward collision warning systems that are available on many of the latest automobiles have been proven to be very effective in helping reduce accident and injury rates. From side airbags and back view cameras to newer seat belt systems in your car, technology works to protect both motorists and passengers against the risk of serious injuries in an accident.

Auto safety technologies may be even more beneficial in protecting senior passengers and motorists. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, studies have shown that side airbags that offer not just frontal but also head and torso protection may be even more beneficial in older drivers and passengers than younger drivers. The risk of an accident-related fatality for front seat passengers above the age of 70 dropped by 45 percent, compared to a rate of 30 percent for younger drivers, indicating that older passengers and motorists may especially benefit from these systems.

Published on: November 29, 2021

Exercise May Help Speed up Brain Injury Recovery in Teens

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Concussions are mild brain injuries that can occur in a car accident, or a motorcycle or bicycle accident. Wearing a helmet when you ride a motorcycle or a bicycle can help protect your head against injuries in an accident. Short term symptoms after a concussion may include temporary loss of consciousness, nausea and vomiting. In the long term, however, persons who suffer concussions may face challenges like concentration difficulties, problems paying attention, chronic headaches and fatigue. These problems, if left unaddressed, could also cause mental health issues like depression. It is, therefore, important to receive treatment for a concussion as soon as one occurs.

Brain injuries are severe injuries that should not be ignored. Whenever there has been any jolt or blow to the head after an accident, make sure that you get it checked out by a doctor immediately to rule out any damage to the brain tissue. Early diagnosis and treatment can help manage symptoms and prevent exacerbation.

When it comes to brain injury recovery, the longstanding belief has been that extensive rest helps heal symptoms of a concussion quicker. However, just the opposite may be true. According to a new study, teenagers who have suffered a brain injury may actually benefit from periods of light, aerobic exercise instead of being cocooned and isolated.

Published on: November 23, 2021

New Spinal Injury Treatment Promises Healing for Paralysis Patients

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Spinal cord injuries can have a devastating impact on a person’s life and livelihood. These injuries can be permanent and may have no permanent cure.

Treatment for spinal cord injuries typically involves the management of decreased mobility and movement in patients. New studies recently, however, have shown a promising way forward in spinal injury treatment.

Scientists recently experimented on mice using an injectable therapy involving nanofibers to cover the damaged spinal tissue after the injury. The injections comprise of liquid nanogels that cover the damaged area, and create an environment that is very similar to the natural cellular environment. The nanofibers are able to mimic the natural movement of the cells, thereby promoting healing in these areas. The researchers found extraordinary results with the use of the therapy. After just about three to four weeks of the therapy, the mice were able to walk, and most of the damage was reversed.

Published on: November 17, 2021

Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program Receives Much-Needed Boost

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program does important work in educating riders of every level and motorists about safety. Recently, the program received a significant boost through a substantial funding grant.

The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program is an initiative by the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and is focused on providing motorcycle safety awareness and training programs to riders across the state. The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program recommends motorcycle training for motorcyclists before they begin riding. You can find approved providers for the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program near you.

Training is a vital component of motorcycle safety, and if you are a new motorcycle rider, it is recommended that you take a training course before you start riding. Apart from training, the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program also focuses its efforts on conducting rider education and awareness programs for both motorcyclists and motorists across the state of Georgia.

Published on: November 12, 2021

The Road Safety Threat Regulators, Auto Companies Ignore

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There is a silent killer on our streets, and unfortunately, it receives very little attention. Speeding–related accident deaths in the United States are on the increase and fast rising. This is in sharp contrast to other countries in the European Union, for instance, where speeding-related traffic fatality rates have actually been falling.

There has been plenty of discussion about the increase in traffic accident fatalities in this country in 2020, in spite of the fact that there were fewer vehicle miles travelled that year. There is a long history in this nation of attempts to curb speeding, but it took the pandemic to bring speeding to the forefront of the national traffic safety discourse. Most developed countries, including those in the European Union, have actually seen their traffic accident fatality rates drop significantly in recent years, and they have their regulations against speeding to thank for it. In the United States, the exact opposite has happened, and we can look to the changes in how regulators in the United States view speeding to understand the reasons for this.

The European Union and the United Kingdom have mandated that by the year 2022, all new automobiles sold in these countries must come with speed limiters. The mandate also requires that cars come with intelligent speed assistance technology which restricts the speed of a car based on existing GPS data and external speed limit signs, by 2024. Drivers can override the technology if they choose to. However, the mandate requires that the data be stored in black box data recorders that can then be investigated in the event of an accident. Regulators in these countries believe that these rules will lead to a reduction in traffic accident fatalities by as much as 20%.

Published on: November 8, 2021

Hundreds of Truck Drivers Cited during Georgia Enforcement Blitz

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Commercial delivery trucks have been working overtime to fulfill the large volume of online orders and commercial business. More commercial trucks on the roads usually brings with them more risks of trucking accidents, especially as more drivers take to the roads in the upcoming holiday season. Georgia authorities recently took steps to ensure safe driving practices by commercial truckers to keep everyone on the roads safe.

The SafeDRIVE (Drive Distracted Reckless Impaired Visibility Enforcement) is an initiative by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and is carried out on a quarterly basis in collaboration with state and local law enforcement partners. In Georgia, the SafeDRIVE enforcement blitz was carried out between October 5 and 7 this year. As part of the Georgia initiative, the Motor Carrier Compliance Division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety conducted enforcement initiatives along popular trucking routes, including I- 75, I -95 and I- 85. More than 400 citations were issued to truck drivers across Georgia as part of a law enforcement initiative in collaboration with the federal administration in order to keep our highways safe and prevent truck accidents.

It was a three-day campaign, and hundreds of truck drivers and their commercial trucks were pulled over during the campaign. The campaign resulted in extensive monitoring of common truck driver errors, including following too closely, distracted driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. As part of the initiative, truck drivers were also cited for rash and aggressive driving and driving beyond the speed limits. These are common trucking driver mistakes that can increase the risk of the truck being involved in an accident that endangers not just the truck driver, but also occupants of passenger vehicles involved in the accident. In any accident involving a large commercial truck and a passenger vehicle, it is the occupants of the smaller vehicle who may be at a higher risk of suffering injuries, and therefore, it is important for law enforcement to conduct such regular enforcement campaigns to weed out bad drivers and keep the highways safer for all.

Published on: November 4, 2021

Vision Zero, Other Initiatives Push Zero Accident Fatality for the Future

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

It’s been heartening to see a stronger emphasis on minimizing traffic accident fatalities, not just by auto safety organizations, but also by lawmakers. In recent weeks, a number of non-profit advocacy organizations have come together to support advocacy efforts as well as initiatives by lawmakers to minimize the number of Americans killed in traffic accidents.

Advocacy organizations like the Governor’s Highway Safety Association and Advocates for Highway and Highway Safety have spent months calling attention to the higher numbers of accident fatalities that occurred last year in spite of a 10% drop in the number of vehicle miles travelled. Those statistics indicate that we have a very serious problem with traffic safety in the United States. For one thing, too many U.S. cities are designed to make it easier to drive rather than walk or bike. Our transportation system, unfortunately, makes it easier to get from point A to point B using a car, as opposed to using mass transit or walking. Those are unacceptable realities, and simply add to the problem of our congested streets.

For our streets to be less congested and safer, we need to add bicycling and walking safely to the list of viable transport options. Safety advocates are calling for the installation of more dedicated and exclusive bicycle lanes in metropolitan areas, including the metro Atlanta region. Exclusive bike lanes are lanes that are meant solely for the use of bicyclists, and are separated from car lanes by a physical barrier that prevents them from coming into direct contact with cars. Experts at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute say that for bicycle lanes to be considered safe, they must be separated from car lanes by more than a slap of paint. Our roads need to be designed with the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists in mind. An overwhelming majority of metropolitan areas in the country are not designed to make it safer to bike or walk compared to drive.

Published on: October 31, 2021

NTSB Chief Calls for Focus on Overall Approach to Reducing Traffic Fatalities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board says that focusing only on individual driver behavior or actions may not be sufficient to helping reduce the number of people killed in traffic accidents in Georgia and across the United States every year. She instead is calling for an approach that takes into account all of the different factors that contribute to the various driver behaviors resulting in accidents.

The National Transportation Safety Board is primarily an investigative authority which conducts investigations into air, road, land, and water accidents that involve mass fatalities or casualties. The Board advises or provides recommendations based on those investigations, and is not a regulatory authority. It cannot pass regulations based on its own recommendations. However, the Board’s recommendations are taken very seriously by state administrations, especially those that are looking at making their roads safer.

Jennifer Homendy, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board, was speaking in remarks to a conference of the Governors Highway Safety Association, and says that an overall approach to increasing traffic safety must take into consideration the fact that so many states have enforced higher speed limits than recommended. Speeding, for instance, continues to be a major killer on American roads, and we must evaluate whether the systems in place to date actually encourages drivers to speed. She points to states that have prohibited local authorities from setting their own lower speed limits for motorists. She also points to the responsibility of manufacturers who frequently design automobiles that are made to travel at more than 100 mph, or sell cars that have no installed speed limiters to prevent excessive speeds. Road design that encourages speeding could be just as much to blame as individuals who take advantage of these roads that are built for excessive speeds.

Published on: October 25, 2021

Better Headlights More Effective in Preventing Night Time Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Driving at night is typically the least favorite time to drive for most people. Reduced visibility and glare are just some of the dangers of driving at night that can cause accidents. Better headlights that have a high safety rating, however, are much more likely to help reduce the risk of night time accidents. According to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, headlight systems that have a good rating by the Institute can significantly help reduce the risk of accidents that occur in the night time.

In 2016, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety developed a safety rating system for headlights. Until then, there was no real way of measuring how headlights fared when compared with each other and when they were actually used in the real world. The federal standard for headlights was outdated, and under these standards, most headlights were more or less considered equal. However in 2016, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety established a headlight ratings program that measured headlight fitness as “good”, “acceptable”, “marginal” or “poor.”

Five years later, a new study finds that since the ratings went into effect, there has been a 19% reduction in the accident rate involving cars with headlights that have a “good” rating, compared to those that have a “poor” headlights rating. When headlights were rated “acceptable” or “marginal,” there was a 15% reduction in the number of accidents that involved these cars. Additionally the study also found that good headlights specifically helped reduce certain types of accidents. For instance, when headlights had a “good” rating there was a 29 percent drop in the number of accidents involving injuries to the driver. These headlights also contributed to a 25% drop in the number of accidents involving pedestrians.