Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: January 16, 2014

Alcohol-Related Bicycle and Pedestrian Accidents Remain High

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%.

Published on: October 25, 2013

Researchers Work on Touch-Sensitive Prosthetic Limbs

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Researchers at the University of Chicago are currently working on a prosthetic limb that includes a sense of touch. The limb would give a person a sensory touch, and not just allow him to perform motor activities.

The researchers have published the results of their experiments in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Obviously, this is a major step forward in prosthetics development, and this is a field that has already seen some interesting advancements in the recent past. Earlier, prosthetic hands, legs and limbs, were clunky, mechanical gadgets, which would allow a person to walk or move their arms, but in a cumbersome manner. They were uncomfortable to wear and even more uncomfortable to use. In fact, many prosthetic limbs were actually painful to use for long periods of time.

However, in 2013, the kind of prosthetic limbs that a person who has had his limbs amputated due to accident or any other cause are highly advanced, and very light. They’re made from ultralight materials that are not just strong and stable, but also very convenient and comfortable to wear.

Published on: October 14, 2013

Motorcyclist Killed in Accident in Cherokee County

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A fatal motorcycle accident has been reported recently in Georgia. This time, it was a 61-year-old man from Woodstock who was traveling on his motorcycle when he crashed into a Toyota Tundra. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the man’s family and friends.

According to reports of the accident, the man was heading eastbound on Cumming Highway when the Tundra pulled out onto the roadway. Consequently, the motorcycle hit the left side of the vehicle.The motorcycle driver was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead.

There was also a 55-year-old female passenger on a bike, who was thrown several feet away upon impact. She was also rushed to the hospital, and is being treated for injuries.

Published on: October 7, 2013

Highway Safety Expected to Be Affected by Government Shutdown

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Certain highway safety initiatives across the country are likely to be affected by the federal government shutdown, which is currently in effect. While some agencies that are responsible for auto safety are likely to be negatively impacted, others that are responsible for trucking safety, fortunately, may escape unscathed.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is one of those agencies that is expected to be affected by the shutdown and resulting lack of funding. This is the federal agency that is responsible for highway safety activities across the country, and therefore, this is one shutdown that has the potential to affect the safety of motorists and passengers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration may be forced to cut several employees as part of the furloughs. That in turn, could also impact not only highway safety, but also trucking safety to a certain extent, because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also regulates trucking equipment.

Published on: September 23, 2013

Improper Tractor-Trailer Lane Possible Cause of Motorcycle Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

An improper lane change made by a commercial truck driver is being blamed for a recent fatal motorcycle accident on Interstate 75 in Henry County, GA.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the accident occurred when a motorcyclist traveling northbound was struck by a truck near exit 75 in Henry County.According to initial reports, a southbound truck crossed the median, and crashed into the motorcycle, killing the motorcyclist.So far, it appears that an improper lane change by the tractor-trailer may have started the fatal chain of events, although the investigation is still pending, and no charges have been filed against the tractor-trailer driver.

Every year, more than 4,000 motorcyclists are killed in accidents, and many of these motorcycle accidents are caused by motorists who are inebriated, driving recklessly, or driving while distracted.

Published on: September 11, 2013

Slip and Fall Accidents: Expensive and Highly Preventable

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Although icy conditions are often thought of when the topic of slip and fall accidents arises, the risk of suffering this type of injury is very high in the summer months.This is due in part to the large number of people visiting airports, shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, sports fields, and other commercial spaces.However, very often, these same places conceal dangerous conditions that can cause serious leg and back injuries.

The best Atlanta slip and fall accident lawyers all agree that the most effective way for businesses to deal with slip and falls is to prevent them.This requires two things.First, recognize the common causes of falls.And second, implement safety protocols for removing the danger.

Some of the most common slip and fall accidents involve flooring that conceals various hazards.For instance, a floor that is wet because of a spill can pose a serious hazard, and when the floor is the kind that is often used in commercial spaces like marble and granite, the spill may not be easily visible.Businesses must ensure that all public walkways are constantly monitored, and that any spills are cleaned up immediately.