Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: May 17, 2015

Distracted Driving Statistics

It has been called the drunk driving of this generation, and for a valid reason. The number of people killed in accidents related directly to distracted driving is increasing, and there is a vast body of research to prove it.

Teens and Distracted Driving

According to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10% of all motorists below the age of 20 involved in fatal accidents were reportedly distracted at the time. In fact, the under 20 age group is a high-risk category for distracted driving. Teenagers are heavy consumers of social media and smart phone technology, a deadly combination that increases the potential that they are glued to their devices while at the wheel.

Published on: May 8, 2015

Loss of Control, Intoxicated Driving Account for Most Motorcycle Accident Claims

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

New data released by a major insurance company indicates that single-vehicle motorcycle accident claims accounted for the highest number of claims processed in 2014.

The data were released by insurer Progressive Corp., which said that it processed 3.4 times more single-vehicle motorcycle accident claims in 2014. These single-vehicle accidents typically involved intoxicated driving or loss of control due to excessive speed.

According to Progressive, it processed more single-vehicle motorcycle accident claims than rear-end accident claims, crashes at intersections, and stolen motorcycles combined. That means that motorcyclists must be more careful and vigilant about their surroundings at all times.

Published on: April 29, 2015

New Study Focuses on Specific Accident Risks Facing Senior Citizens

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

With the proportion of senior motorists across the country and on Atlanta roads expected to balloon over the next couple of decades, it’s not surprising that leading auto safety groups in the country are turning their attention to senior motorist safety. The AAA Foundation recently announced that it is investing in research that focuses on accident risks involving senior motorists.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is investing $12 million in the study into the driving behaviors of senior motorists. Researchers at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health will specifically investigate factors that affect senior motorist safety while driving. Those factors include prescription drug use that could impair a motorist’s driving abilities and increase the risk of drowsy driving accidents, as well as the impact of deteriorating vision on senior drivers.

As part of the study, drivers between the ages of 65 and 79 will be recruited in several states around the country. Researchers will fit these motorists’ cars with GPS devices to monitor and observe driving patterns. The researchers will use the data that emerges from the study to analyze senior driving patterns and devise solutions to core safety problems.

Published on: April 2, 2015

Volvo Introduces Night Spray Paint to Make Bicycling Safer

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Bicycling at night is a major accident risk. However, a new glow-in-the-dark spray paint that has been introduced by Volvo will help bicyclists stand out in the dark, and reduce their accident risks.

You don’t often see automakers coming up with products that are designed to help bicyclists and pedestrians, but Volvo appears to be the exception.In the past, it has come up with automobile design innovations to help reduce the risk to pedestrians and bicyclists. Now, the automaker has gone one step further, and introduced a new night spray paint designed to be sprayed not just on a bicycle, but all accessories. Simply spray the paint on the bicycle, on your bag, and your clothes. The paint is invisible, and cannot be seen in the daytime. However, during nighttime, and in the glare of car headlights, the paint begins to glow.

Seasoned bicyclists know that it’s important to be visible while riding at night. For years now, bicyclists in Atlanta have stuck reflective tape to their clothes, bag and bicycles to increase their visibility at night time. However, the spray-paint goes one step further than reflective tape by making bicyclists glow-in-the-dark and much harder to miss.

Published on: March 20, 2015

Alcohol, Pot Involved in Half of All Accidents Involving Teens, Young Adults

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Alcohol and drugs are a leading cause of death involving persons in the 18-25 age group in the United States. However, a new study indicates that alcohol and drug use may be much more prominent factors in car accidents involving teenagers and young adult motorists.

According to a new study, 50% of all deaths involving teenagers and young adults in car accidents involve the use of alcohol or marijuana. In fact, researchers who conducted the study expressed concerns that the growing wave of legalization of marijuana around the country could spell disaster for young motorist safety. These motorists are already at a higher risk of alcohol use, drug use, and other kinds of dangerous driving practices. The researchers speculate that the increasing availability of marijuana and easing of restrictions on the use of pot have not had any effect on the popularity of alcohol among these drivers.

The study found that accident victims above the age of 21 were much more likely than younger victims to be driving with a combination of marijuana and alcohol in their system. About 50.3%, of young motorists who died were either stoned or drunk at the time of their accidents. In total, 37% of the motorists tested positive for alcohol at the time of their deaths, while 5.9% tested positive for marijuana. In 7.6% of the cases, the motorists had both alcohol and marijuana in their system.

Published on: March 13, 2015

Young Adults More Likely to Suffer Serious Injuries in Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

It’s a fact that young adults and teenagers are at a much higher risk of accidents and injuries. Studies also indicate that this group of drivers is more likely to be injured severely in accidents.

A new study finds that young adults and teenagers are much more likely to suffer critical injuries that require them to be rushed to hospital emergency rooms after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Those findings came from a study of data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study found that there were 4 million emergency room visits after accidents in 2010-2011. In fact, auto accidents accounted for approximately 10% of all emergency room visits across the country.

Age was a common factor in most of the persons who were rushed to ERs after being involved in an accident. For every 10,000 persons rushed to ERs for treatment after an accident, 286 persons were between the age of 16 and 24. Among persons above 65, the rate was just 65 for 10,000 persons, and in the case of persons below the age of 18, the rate was 70 for every 10,000 persons.

Published on: March 6, 2015

The Safest and Most Dangerous Automobiles

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Auto accident fatality rates are at their lowest levels in decades, and the average Atlanta motorist now has a much higher likelihood of walking away relatively unharmed from an accident, compared to the past. However, motorists in some cars remain at a much higher risk of dying in accidents, compared to motorists in other cars.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently confirmed that improved auto design has contributed significantly to the reduction in traffic accident fatalities in the United States over the past decade. In fact, according to IIHS, the chances of a fatality occurring in an accident involving late model automobiles dropped by more than one- third over the past decade.

The good news is that if you are driving a newer automobile that comes with advanced safety features, your chances of surviving an accident are extremely high. However, the bad news is that there is a wide gap between fatality rates involving newer automobiles and the most dangerous automobiles. According to the data, among model year 2011 model automobiles, nine vehicles had a fatality rate of zero. In the other list, there are at least three cars that have fatality rates that are higher than 100 per million registered vehicle years.

Published on: March 3, 2015

Highway Safety Group Recommends Stronger GDL Laws, Primary Enforcement Seat Belt Laws for Georgia

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Highway accident fatalities in Georgia have been on the decline over the past few years, but the state could make more progress towards keeping more motorists safer on its roads. That is the opinion of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, an organization that rates all 50 states each year on their highway safety performance.

The report ranks states in three color-coded categories – green, yellow and red. Green signifies the best performance and indicates that the state has complied with most of the group’s recommended highway safety laws, and yellow signifies that while the state has made some progress in complying with these laws, there still remains a lot more work to be done. Red is the worst rating on the scale and is only given to those states that have failed to enact important safety laws.

This year, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety gave Georgia a Yellow rating for its performance in complying with critical safety laws that help prevent accidents.The group ranked states based on the state’s compliance with laws related to child restraint use, seat belt use, drunk driving prevention, distracted driving prevention, graduated driver licensing laws, motorcycle helmet laws and others.

Published on: February 11, 2015

What To Do When You’ve Been in an Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

When it comes to car accidents, there’s a broad spectrum of damage and the emotions that accompany it. From the bitter annoyance of your car getting bumped in a parking lot to the absolute turmoil of a more serious, life threatening accident. Where ever an accident falls on the spectrum, there is one emotion that can follow any accident: dread. In the weeks following a very minor incident in a crowded parking garage, I felt this dread. My driving became hyper aware, nervous that a possible accident was around ever corner. While this rapt attention is certainly appropriate, the dread only subsided when I recognized how to react when an accident does occur. In this post today, we’ll discuss what to do when you’re in an accident.

Keep in mind, every accident is different. Some steps apply more to certain types of car accidents than others. Think of each step as being prefaced with “as necessary.”

Stay calm!

Published on: January 28, 2015

Company Introduces Inflatable Motorcycle Vest to Prevent Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Motorcyclists are often seriously injured when involved in a crash. The most deadly of those injuries are head injuries. However, other injuries, including those that affect the person’s neck and back may also leave a rider or passenger severely injured. One company has introduced an inflatable vest that will help reduce the risk of motorcycle injuries in an accident.

The inflatable vest has been developed by Spidi, and the vest is called the Neck DPS Airbag Tex Vest.According to Spidi, wearing the lightweight vest provides additional protection to riders and passengers who may be involved in a fall or collision.

The vest has a double cushion that wraps itself around the neck region, reducing the risk of serious or fatal injuries in an accident. Wearing the vest also allows the motorcyclist to roll on the ground after impact, thereby reducing the potential for serious injuries when the person lands on asphalt. The vessel inflates in .2 seconds after a rider is thrown from their bike, and inflates with carbon dioxide from a canister. It is fairly lightweight at 420 grams. The vest can simply be remove after use, and recharged.