Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: January 25, 2011

Study Underscores Need for Side Impact Protection During Atlanta Accidents

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has been issuing its much anticipated ratings for auto accident and injury protection for years now.A new analysis by the Insurance Institute shows that drivers of vehicles driving a car with a high rating by the Institute had an enhanced chance of surviving a side impact auto accident, compared to drivers of vehicles that did not have a good rating.

The researchers in the analysis tested cars that had side airbags. The tests were conducted at 31 mph. The researchers found that a person’s chances of dying in a side impact accident decreased by approximately 70% when his car was rated Good, compared to a car which was rated Poor. A person driving a car that was rated Acceptable was 64% less likely to die in a side impact crash, and a person driving a vehicle rated Marginal was 49% less likely to die in a side impact accident.

Side impact accidents are typically high-injury accidents, because there’s little space between the occupant and the other car to cushion the impact. Approximately 23 percent of all auto accident deaths in the US every year are caused in side impact accidents.The serious injuries that Atlanta car accident lawyers see in accidents like this are neck injuries, fractures, chest injuries, abdominal injuries, internal injuries and pelvic injuries.

Published on: January 18, 2011

Employers Move to Minimize Risk of Distracted Driver Auto Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

As Atlanta car accident attorneys, we believe minimizing texting or talking on the cell phone while driving requires cooperation not just from individual motorists, but also from society at large. To avoid as many car accidents as possible, employers have a big role to play in ensuring that their employees refrain from using a cell phone while driving. A new survey by the National Safety Council finds that one out of every five Fortune 500 companies has a policy in place that prevents employees from using cell phones while driving. These policies have a significant impact in decreasing the number of distracted driving auto accidents.

There have been increasing signs that more and more employers are taking the need for such workplace policies seriously. Out of the companies that responded to the survey, more than 50% had implemented such safety policies since 2008.

It was the federal administration which kick started the initiative to encourage employers to implement anti-distracted driving policies in the workplace. In 2009, the Obama administration announced a ban on cell phone use while driving for federal employees while driving government-issued vehicles, and using government-issued cell phones. Since then, private employers have followed suit, encouraging employees to switch off their cell phones while driving. Encouraging employers to implement such policies has become more important since the economy began sinking. Employees now are under more pressure than ever to stay constantly in touch with the office, even while driving.

Published on: January 17, 2011

Low Seatbelt Use Leads to Increase In Auto Accident Police Fatalities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

In many of the serious auto accidents that Atlanta car accident lawyers come across, seatbelt use was the only thing preventing devastating injuries or death. However, there is one category of drivers that is most aware of the importance of wearing seatbelts to avoid accidents, but neglect to wear seatbelts anyway. According to a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at least 42% of police officers, who were killed in auto accidents over the past 28 years, were not wearing seat belts at the time.

The NHTSA study analyzed 733 fatal police auto accidents from 1980 through 2008, and found that more than 42% of the officers during these auto accidents were not wearing seat belts. Across the country, there have been concerns about low seatbelt usage rates among police officers. In Georgia too, we have a similar situation, and to a lay person, it can be quite perplexing. After all, officers don’t neglect to pull a motorist over when they find seatbelt violations, and it seems odd that they don’t obey laws they help enforce.

Many police departments are aware of this low seatbelt usage rate, and condone it because wearing seat belts can interfere with certain aspects of a police officer’s responsibilities. While officers are expected to wear seat belts during a patrol or when they are responding to a scene of a crime, they may begin unbuckling when the pursuit is winding down, or when there is a need for them to get out of the car and pursue a suspect.

Published on: January 15, 2011

Automakers Face New Rollover Auto Accident Rule

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been focusing extra hard on rollover safety recently. A new rule that the agency announced this week is also aimed at preventing serious and devastating injuries in rollover auto accidents. The agency this week announced new regulations that would require passenger vehicles to keep occupants inside the vehicle during a rollover.

Under the new regulations, automakers would be required to design safety systems that would prevent passengers from being ejected from the side windows during a rollover.Automakers are likely to use technologies like rollover sensing side airbag systems to prevent passengers from being ejected through the side window during a rollover accident. Some sport utility vehicles already come with these side airbag systems. These airbags deploy immediately during rollover, and then remain open for a period of time, thereby preventing passengers from being ejected outside the window.

The new rule will be phased in during the beginning of 2013. All new vehicles will be required to have the systems by the year 2018.

Published on: January 14, 2011

Police Officer Injured in Atlanta, Georgia Truck Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A truck driver has been charged after being involved in a truck accident in Clayton County, Georgiain which a police officer was injured. The trucker had been driving a massive tractor-trailer rig, when he rear-ended a patrol car in front of him. The police officer was driving the Department of Transportation truck on the road when the truck accident occurred. The officer suffered serious injuries, and had to be airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital. The tractor-trailer driver meanwhile has been charged with causing serious injury by vehicle, following too closely and too fast.

One of the challenges of operating a massive truck is understanding that your vehicle takes a much longer time to come to a complete stop than a passenger vehicle. It’s important for all 18-wheeler drivers to understand that this greatly increased stopping distance amplifies the risks of colliding with a vehicle in front.

Any time a passenger vehicle is involved in an accident with a tractor-trailer, injuries sustained can be extremely series. A typical rear ender accident involving two passenger vehicles can cause whiplash and other injuries. However, when you have a massive 18-wheeler weighing more than 80,000 pounds rear ending a passenger vehicle, the kind of injuries that the passenger car occupants suffer can be devastating.

Published on: January 13, 2011

Winter Driving Conditions Pose Treacherous Auto Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

It’s now the turn of Georgia, especially the metropolitan Atlanta area, to bear the force of a harsh winter that has amplified auto accident risks for motorists. The week began with a heavy snowstorm that left much of Atlanta covered with snow. Earlier this week, hoping to decrease the number of auto accidents, the Department Of Transportation urged all Atlanta motorists to stay at home. The warning also included large commercial truckers, who are likely to find these driving conditions even more hazardous. Of course, truck accidents pose a significant risk of injury and death. None of the major school districts took any chances, with classes called off in all the major school districts.

By Tuesday, transportation crews had been able to clear large interstates and highways, but the next morning, much of the snow was refrozen. Besides, even when the snow melts, it’s quite likely that the streets will continue to be treacherous. Thin ice will remain on the surface streets, especially on those roads that don’t see much traffic. In fact, you can expect the ice to remain until temperatures began to climb again. Meteorologists don’t expect temperatures to rise until this weekend.

The thin layer of ice on surface streets is a serious accident hazard. This layer is barely visible, and creates a super-slippery surface that can have everything from a passenger vehicle to a tractor-trailer careening out of control.

Published on: January 8, 2011

Driver Killed in McDuffie County, Georgia Bus Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There’s been yet another tragic school bus accident in McDuffie County, Georgia. This accident resulted in the death of the driver of the school bus. The accident occurred when the bus went out of control and ran into a ditch. The driver was ejected from the bus. She was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, but died soon after.

The bus had about 10 students.Two of the children suffered serious injuries, and were rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, one of the children who was injured was the driver’s own son. The accident apparently occurred on a dirt road just outside of Dearing. The driver seems to have lost control of the bus as it slid off the road. School drivers of the McDuffie County School System are mourning the loss of one of their own.

The Georgia State Patrol is investigating the accident. Some questions are being raised about the condition of the road at the time of the crash.

Published on: January 7, 2011

Students Injured in a Truck Accident in Cherokee County

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There has been yet another serious school bus accident in Georgia.Six students on a school bus suffered personal injuries in a truck accident in Cherokee County over the weekend.The accident involved a school bus and a tractor-trailer.The bus was taking students to the Free Home Elementary School when it struck a tractor-trailer early Tuesday morning.The bus driver, truck driver, and six students of the school suffered personal injuries in the crash and had to be taken to the hospital.

The year 2010 proved to be a dangerous year for Georgia school children.A number of accidents involving school buses and other vehicles were recorded last year, and some of these ended in personal injuries and even fatalities.The accident is under investigation, but according to CBS Atlanta, the school bus driver was a substitute driver.She had been with the Cherokee County School System since November.By all accounts, she had had sufficient hands-on training according to state laws.However, some parents have been questioning whether her driving was sufficient.

Besides, this school bus accident also brings up the question of seat belts on school buses.Atlanta personal injury lawyers would like to see some movement in this direction in 2011.New bus safety rules that were announced in 2010 include charter and intercity buses, but not school buses.This is in spite of the fact that school buses transport some of the most vulnerable passengers, and are at a high risk of being injured in an accident.

Published on: January 6, 2011

NHTSA Proposal to Prevent Speed-Related Truck Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The idea of using speed limiting devices to restrict speed limits on commercial trucks, and therefore, minimize the risk of speed-related truck accidents, has been floating around for a while now. In 2006, the American Trucking Associations and several other interested parties petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to mandate speed limiting devices on all trucks. Last week, the NHTSA announced that it would initiate an NPR aimed at getting these devices installed in all trucks. If the rule does pass, there will be far fewer truck accidents and, therefore, many injuries avoided and many wrongful deaths prevented.

The NHTSA announced on its website a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking related to the mandating of such devices on all trucks. Proposals to have speed limiting devices installed on commercial trucks have been widely supported, not just by Atlanta truck accident lawyers, but also by trucking safety groups and the trucking industry.

It’s not every day that you get the trucking industry and Atlanta truck accident attorneys on the same page as far as trucking safety is concerned. However, on this issue, the American Trucking Associations has been extremely vocal in its support for such devices. However, not all trucking companies are happy about such rules. The Owner- Independent Operators Drivers’ Association, which consists of smaller independent trucking companies and drivers, has strongly opposed any rules to mandate these devices on truckers. The devices would limit the speed of trucks weighing 20,000 pounds and above to a maximum of 68 mph.

Published on: January 5, 2011

Beware of Atlanta Slip and Fall Accidents This Winter

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Slip and fall accidents cause significant and permanent personal injuries to individuals. Retailers and other property owners have a responsibility to keep their premises safe for their visitors. Likewise, visitors have a responsibility not to walk in areas that are clearly hazardous. The recent winter weather has greatly increased the risk of slip and fall accidents. The initial snow freezes and turns to ice. Likewise, we see a great deal of black ice in the winter in Georgia. Black ice is a thin layer of ice that forms on top of pavement. Unfortunately, retailers are often not very good at identifying and removing black ice that is not readily visible to visitors. The result is a significant number of slip and fall accidents that could be prevented.

Some parts of Georgia, like Haralson County, have recorded a 2-inch accumulation of snow, and in some of these areas, it has been the first such recorded heavy snowfall in years. For instance, in Haralson County, it has been the first such snowfall recorded in more than 129 years. While the snow has meant a picture-perfect Christmas to Georgia residents, it is also important to know that these beautiful snowy conditions can contribute to a slip and fall hazard.

You can avoid many of these accident hazards, simply by wearing sensible footwear during such weather. Put away your stilettos and party shoes, and wear winter shoes or boots to avoid a fall. You can also use clamp-on accessories that can offer better grip to prevent a fall. Be especially careful when you step out of the main door every morning, and look out for treacherous ice. Most of the fall accidents during this weather occur because people aren’t used to such icy conditions, and forget that they need to take special precautions when they walk in such weather.