Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: April 7, 2014

What Parents Can Do to Prevent Their Teens from Driving Drunk

According to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), a teenage motorist driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% is approximately 17 times more likely be involved in an accident.This is a category of motorists that research has shown to be inexperienced, more susceptible to peer pressure, and more likely to engage in risky driving.When alcohol or other intoxicants are added to the mix, the risks of an accident significantly increase.

The CDC believes that reducing the risk of teenage drunk driving accidents should not be dependent on federal, state, and local law enforcement alone, but is also the responsibility of communities, schools and parents.Recently, another new study illustrated just how strong peer pressure can be in influencing teenagers to drink and drive.The study clearly found that when high school seniors had friends in their social circle who drove intoxicated, they were much more likely to do the same.When teenagers have friends who engage in self-destructive behaviors, those same behaviors seem cool to an impressionable young adult.

If you’re the parent of a teenage motorist, it’s also important to understand that there is no such thing as social drinking for a teenage motorist.Most teenagers who drink do so to feel buzzed.Therefore, expecting teenagers to go out, drink, and yet remain sober is unrealistic.Binge drinking is far more popular among teenagers than with any other category of motorists, and teenagers are much more likely to drink irresponsibly.

Published on: March 24, 2014

Texting While Walking Could Be More Dangerous Than Texting While Driving

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Everyone agrees that texting while operating a motor vehicle is hazardous and increases the risk of injury or fatal accident.However, when you compare statistics based on injuries per mile, it is texting while walking that seems to be much more dangerous.

There has been a growing body of research recently that seems to point to an increased risk of pedestrian injuries when people are texting while walking. For example, new research by the University of Buffalo specifically focused on injuries per mile caused when a person is texting while walking.According to the research, the consequences of texting while walking include falling down stairs, walking into walls, pillars and other stationary objects, and walking into traffic.

A person who is texting while walking is much less likely to notice a bump on the sidewalk, or obstacle in a driveway.Even though there are more injuries caused every year by texting while driving, injuries caused by texting while walking tend to be more serious.People who were texting while walking were 61% more likely to go off course while walking, and were also likely to overshoot their target by as much as 30%, compared to when they were walking without distractions.

Published on: March 18, 2014

Study Says Alcohol Has Increased Affect on Seniors

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Alcohol tends to affect different people in different ways, and younger drivers are typically believed to be at the highest at risk for destructive alcohol- related behaviors, like drunk driving accidents.However, seniors could be just as much at risk of being involved in accidents after they have consumed alcohol.What is even more dangerous about seniors and drinking is that alcohol consumption does not have to be large for it to affect many seniors’ driving abilities.According to research, even small amounts of alcohol can affect an older driver’s driving abilities, increasing his or her risk of being involved in a car accident.

The study was conducted by researchers who analyzed how drinking alcohol affects driving abilities, based on age.Persons in the age group of 25 to 35 were compared with another group which consisted of persons 55 to 70 years old.In both groups, persons consumed alcohol, but not enough for any of them to cross the maximum permissible blood-alcohol level in most states of .08%.In other words, nobody in either of these groups met the criteria for being legally intoxicated.

However, researchers found to their surprise that even when seniors drank just a few alcoholic beverages, it impacted their ability to drive safely.They monitored the driving abilities of seniors by putting them through a driving simulator, and found that even mild amounts of alcohol intoxication in seniors did affect driving abilities.

Published on: February 17, 2014

GAO Report Finds Fault with Federal Trucking Safety Rating System

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Commercial trucking accidents are one of the biggest hazards facing American drivers, and contribute to an average of 4,000 fatalities every year. Although the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has a system for rating the safety performance of commercial truck companies and bus carriers, a new report finds that the system is inadequate, and delivers incorrect results.

Those are the findings of a new report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO recently completed an audit of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program. The Compliance, Safety, Accountability program uses data collected from roadside inspections of trucks and 18- wheelers, as well as data from accident investigations, and uses this information to compare the performance of commercial truck and bus carriers. Trucks and buses are compared to other carriers of similar size and other characteristics.

The data are then used to increase oversight and scrutiny over the truck and bus carriers that the data finds have the highest number of safety violations.The data are compared with other trucking and bus companies as part of the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program’s Safety Measurement System.

Published on: January 30, 2014

Alarming Increase in Spinal Cord Injuries across U.S.

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

According to a new study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the number of traumatic spinal cord injuries recorded in the United States is on the increase. Another major change that the research showed is that the primary cause of serious spinal cord injuries in the United States is no longer automobile collisions, but slip and fall accidents.

The Johns Hopkins research analyzed a total of 43,137 adults who received treatment in hospital emergency rooms after suffering a spinal cord injury. These adults were treated for their injuries between 2007 and 2009. The researchers found in their analysis that the incidence of spinal cord injury in the 18-64 age group ranged from 52.3 injuries per million in 2007, to 49.9 million in 2009.

While that constituted a drop in the number of traumatic spinal cord injuries that were recorded in this age category, there was an increase in the number of spinal cord injuries recorded among older citizens. In the 65 and above age group, the number of spinal cord injuries actually increased during the study period. These injuries increased from 79.4 injuries per million adults in 2007, to 87.7 injuries per million adults in 2009.

Published on: January 16, 2014

Alcohol-Related Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents Remain High

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There’s plenty of awareness about alcohol-impaired fatalities involving motorists, but not much is known about the fact that alcohol-impaired fatalities involving pedestrians and bicyclists have remained consistently high over the past few years. According to a new report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it’s just as dangerous to walk or ride a bicycle under the influence of alcohol, and it’s high time that pedestrians and bicyclists were made aware of these risks.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report, the proportion of intoxicated pedestrians and bicyclists killed in accidents has changed very little over the past 20 years. Back in 1992, the percentage of pedestrians above the age of 16, who died with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or above, was 39%. In 2011, that number had dropped by two percentage points to 37%.

Among bicyclists, the researchers found that the fatality percentage rate when alcohol was involved was approximately 26% in 1992, and had dropped to 25% in 2011. The statistics seem to indicate that there has been barely any difference in the number of alcohol-impaired pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities over the past 20 years. During the same period of time, there have been substantial declines in the number of motorists killed in alcohol-related car accidents.

Published on: December 31, 2013

NHTSA Survey Finds Speeding Widespread Among Motorists

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently conducted a survey on speeding practices among American drivers.The results indicate a concerning trend.Although many American drivers believe that speeding is a highly dangerous behavior, many of them also admit that they often drive at high speeds to get to their destination on time.

The results of the survey were contained in the National Survey of Speeding Attitudes and Behavior, and found that approximately 4 to 5 drivers believe that driving at safe speeds helps prevent accidents.More than 91% believed that speed limits should be obeyed unconditionally because they are the law. In fact, as many as half of the drivers in the survey admitted that it was very important for transportation agencies to take stronger initiatives to reduce speeding on U.S. roadways.

However, when it comes to actually putting those beliefs into action, many American motorists seem to fall behind.Many of the motorists surveyed admitted to frequently travelling faster than posted speed limits.More than 25% of the motorists surveyed admitted that speeding was something they often did without thinking about it, and others said that they “enjoyed” the feeling that came with driving at excessive speeds.In addition, approximately 60% of the motorists claimed that driving at excessive speeds or above the speed limit, was not “really dangerous” for a skilled motorist.

Published on: December 6, 2013

Georgia State Agencies Urge Safe Travel over Holidays

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The year’s busiest travel season has begun, and a number of Georgia state agencies are joining hands to educate motorists about the need to drive safely during the holidays. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety and the Georgia State Patrol are encouraging motorists to avoid speeding and distractions, and concentrate on getting to their destination safely.

Just before Thanksgiving and New Year’s day, we see the heaviest amount of traffic on GA roadways.Not surprisingly, the accident, injury and fatality rate is also very high during these weeks. Every year, the Georgia State Patrol calls attention to the need to reduce speed, eliminate distractions at the wheel, and avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. These three factors account for a majority of all traffic accident fatalities that occur during the holiday season.

It is important to remember that many motorists over the holiday season are in a hurry to finish their shopping, meet up with friends, and take part in other activities. Many of these motorists will be driving at excessive speeds, and even if you don’t plan to drive at high speeds, know that there will be many speeding motorists on the road this holiday season. While you can’t do anything to change other motorists’ driving habits, you can increase your chances of being safe and reduce the risk of a fatal accident by making sure that you and everybody else in your car is safely buckled-up.

Published on: November 25, 2013

Tips for Safe Holiday Gift Shopping for Children

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Most retailers across the country are reporting early holiday shopping this year as consumers start buying for family, co-workers, and friends.Many of those gifts will include children’s accessories, toys, and other products. This is the right time of the year to remind parents that the toys and products that they choose for their children must be safe from the risk of injuries.

Most injuries related to children’s products involve the face and head, including a large number to the eyes and forehead area. Unfortunately, there are far too many children’s toys that come with removable parts and sharp parts that pose a serious eye injury hazard.When you buy toys as gifts this holiday season, avoid toys that come with protruding parts, spikes, or sharp or pointed edges.

Avoid buying guns and shooting toys, or toys that come with parts that fly off. These can actually turn into dangerous projectiles, and can cause injuries not just to the child who is using the toy, but also other children and adults in the environment.

Published on: November 4, 2013

Safer Headlight Technology Being Developed to Prevent Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Every year, there are variations in the number of car accident fatalities, but one fact remains the same — more fatal car accidents occur at night than in the daytime hours.Nighttime driving comes with its own set of challenges, and one of those is the lack of adequate roadway lighting.A new study focuses on the potential for improving nighttime driving through more advanced automobile headlight systems.

The research was recently presented at the International Symposium on Automotive Lighting in Germany.One scientist involved in the study presented a paper outlining the different types of lighting technologies that can help make nighttime driving both safer and easier.Specifically, these technologies involve headlights that can focus light onto particularly tricky and dangerous roadways.This would be done by using headlights that swivel or bend to put more light onto the turn of the road.

According to the report that was presented at the conference, earlier studies that compared cars equipped with these headlight systems and vehicles with conventional low beam headlights, found that the number of accidents occurring at night actually dropped. For instance, there was a drop of approximately 4% in nighttime accident frequency along low-speed roads. On high-speed roads with shallower curves, the drop was between 1% and 2%.