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A new piece of legislation that has been introduced in the U.S. Senate seeks to allow individual states to increase the gross weight limit on trucks plying the Interstate Highway System.The current gross weight limit in Georgia is about 80,000 pounds.If the legislation were to become law, trucking companies would be able to increase that weight to up to 97,000 pounds.

There are several reasons why Atlanta truck accident attorneys have a problem with this.For one, it would mean greater wear and tear on our already stretched highways.These are tough economic times, and funding for highway repairs and maintenance is already hard to source.The increased wear and tear from heavier trucks would leave Georgia’s highways compromised.

There’s another more serious reason why we strongly oppose any bill to increase funding for weight limits on trucks plying interstate highways.No matter how experienced a truck driver, he will find it a challenge to drive a trailer with an additional 17,000 pounds of cargo.Ask any truck driver and he will tell you that this is likely to be a safety concern if the bill actually becomes law.Trucking can be extremely strenuous, physically challenging work, and while experience can help, Atlanta truck accident lawyers often come across devastating truck accidents caused by experienced truckers.

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Georgia Department of Transportation Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The Georgia Department of Transportation has agreed to pay $600,000 dollars to settle a wrongful death lawsuit, arising from a taxi accident that killed a 51-year-old woman.Patricia Heller was killed when her taxi went out of control and crashed into a tree.She suffered fatal injuries.

Her husband filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the taxi driver, the taxi company, a former city inspector and the Georgia Department of Transportation.The lawsuit alleged that the taxi had bald tires on the day of the accident, and had passed a city inspection just one day before the crash.The lawsuit also accused the Department Of Transportation of negligent design of that section of Interstate 85, alleging that a tree should not have been allowed to grow so close to the roadway.The lawsuit also alleged that the slope was too steep, and the drainage system was poor.

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NHTSA Data Shows High Rates of Auto Accidents, Fatalities in Rural Areas

Newly released data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that traffic safety in rural areas continues to be a serious concern.According to the statistics, although just 23% of the US population lived in rural areas in 2007, accident fatalities in rural areas accounted for 57% of all traffic accident fatalities that year.

A few very interesting facts stand out from the study.

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Mandatory Electronic Stability Control Systems Would Prevent Truck Rollover Accidents

Electronic stability control systems have been found to significantly reduce the risk of rollover accidents in passenger vehicles.These systems are mandatory on all new passenger vehicles, but have not yet been made mandatory in commercial trucks.According to researchers at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if electronic stability control systems were made mandatory in all commercial trucks, it would reduce the risk of rollovers, and save approximately 106 lives a year.

Researchers estimate that approximately 3,500 rollover accidents involving commercial trucks could be prevented each year, if all trucks were equipped with stability control systems.These systems could prevent about 4,400 injuries every year.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is waiting for the results of a formal study into the benefits of having electronic stability control systems in all trucks, to make a decision about mandating these in all commercial trucks.

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One of the biggest factors in motorcycle accidents is motorist negligence or lack of motorist awareness.It’s important for motorists to understand that motorcycles are not like cars or trucks.Motorcyclists face peculiar challenges as they jostle for space with motorists, and it helps motorcyclists if other people on the road are more aware of these challenges.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has tips for motorists and truck drivers to help them look out for motorcyclists.Here’s a brief rundown of just some of those tips.

· Look out for motorcyclists especially closely at certain spots, like intersections. Because of a motorcycle’s small size, it may be easier to miss.

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In a move that is sure to increase auto safety for Americans, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced that it will soon launch its new auto testing and rating program.Several 2011 models will be tested using these tougher testing standards. The agency will begin testing about 55 models, including some American favorites like the Honda Odyssey, the Ford Fusion and Taurus, and the Chevrolet Cruze.

Under the new testing system, cars will be tested against each other, and not against a standard performance bar.In the old system, far too many cars were able to meet the standards, and obtain a five-star rating.In the new system, vehicles will have to compete with each other to get the five-star rating, and there will be far fewer vehicles that actually meet the new standards.Several cars that currently enjoy a five-star rating could find their rating drop to a two-star one, once the testing program is implemented.

The new testing program will include a pole test and a female crash test dummy in the front passenger seat.The tests will result in a single overall safety score.For the first time, the rating will also contain information about any additional safety features the car contains, like lane departure systems and forward collision warning systems.With this rating system, consumers will find it easier to buy cars that not only prevent accidents, but also protect them in the event of an accident.

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There is a growing debate nationwide over the need for a mandatory federal standard for driver’s licensing programs.Currently, there is no single federal standard.As Atlanta auto accident lawyers, we strongly support a strict, federal mandatory standard for licensing policies.A bill called the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act would establish exactly such a standard.It’s not surprising that some of the strongest supporters of this proposed standard are parents.

A new survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveals that parents favor stronger licensing standards for their children.The study is the first of its kind into parental attitudes towards graduated driver’s licensing policies.It clearly reveals that parents strongly favor licensing policies that can prevent their children’s risk of being involved in an accident.

The parents were asked several questions, including their opinion about nighttime driving restrictions and passenger restrictions.90% of the parents said that they were in favor of nighttime driving restrictions on teenagers, and most of them wanted restrictions that began at 10 PM or earlier.Georgia’s GDL laws impose a restriction on nighttime driving between midnight and 6 AM for teen drivers.

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Second Distracted Driving Summit to Be Held in September 2010

Buoyed by the success of the first National Distracted Driving Summit last year, the US Department of Transportation has announced that a second summit will be held on September 21, 2010 in Washington DC.

It’s been an eventful few months since the first summit.During this period of time, several states, including Georgia, have made progress towards the banning of technological distractions at the wheel.In Georgia, we now have a ban on texting while driving for all motorists, and a ban on the use of cell phones while driving for motorists below the age of 18.The law is now in effect, and violators may be fined $150.

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Highway workers involved in construction and maintenance activities constitute some of the most at-risk groups on our roads.For most motorists, road construction or maintenance work is an annoyance, but for these workers, the highway is their workplace, and it’s important for motorists to respect that.This morning, a worker involved in highway maintenance activities on Freedom Parkway, east of Boulevard, died, when he was struck by a vehicle.

According to Atlanta police, motorist Glen Johnson was driving, when for unknown reasons, his car left the roadway and struck the worker.The victim had been contracted by the Department of Transportation for some roadside maintenance work.He sustained fatal injuries.He was just 27 years old.

Johnson has been charged with failure to maintain lane and secondary vehicular homicide.

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We have always believed that parents play a major role to play in preventing alcohol-related car crashes among teenagers.That line of thinking doesn’t come merely because we are Atlanta car accident attorneys, but also because we’re parents ourselves.That is also why we also encourage parents to talk about the dangers of alcohol excesses with their children.

A study published last month shows that a combination of being involved in your child’s life and what he or she is up to, as well as a solid base of support and affection, can help reduce a vast number of problems associated with teenage drinking.Obviously, one of those problems would be driving under the influence.Teen motorists continue to be one of the most high risk groups for intoxicated driving.Much of this has to do with peer pressure.Parents can do much to negate the harmful effect of peer pressure by providing a warm, stable family environment, and also keeping track of what the child is doing outside the home.

The study published in the July issue of Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs surveyed about 5,000 kids about their relationship with their parents.The key components of the survey were

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