Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: April 28, 2010

National No Phone Zone Day for Drivers

The campaign against distracted driving is coming soon to a chat show near you. On April 30, the Oprah Winfrey show will broadcast a special on distracted driving, called National No Phone Zone Day, and Atlanta will play a part in the proceedings. .

According to the Oprah show website, Oprah’s special guests on that day will be representatives from the Department Of Transportation, the Governors Highway Safety Association, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other safety agencies. Oprah will invite families of victims killed in accidents linked to cell phone use while driving. There will be live rallies in several metropolitan cities across the country, including Atlanta. These rallies will include the participation of victims’ families, safety groups, and other advocacy groups.

Viewers will be invited to join a pledge – that they will make their car a “no phone zone,” and will avoid using a cell phone while driving at all costs. Hundreds of thousands of people have already joined the pledge on the Oprah website, and more are expected to join after the show airs on April 30.

Published on: April 27, 2010

Choking Hazards for Children Analyzed

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Choking Is Still a Real Hazard for Children

In spite of concerted efforts by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to make children’s toys safer and choking-hazard free, thousands of children suffer a choking injury every year. Many of these choking incidents will be serious enough to require treatment in the hospital. According to a study, death is a very real possibility for those children who are admitted to a hospital for choking on a toy part or food.

The study looked at child hospital discharge data in 2003, and specifically noted 2,800 admissions for choking. Researchers found that approximately one in about every 30 kids hospitalized for choking, actually died in the hospital. The study also had one very interesting fact for Atlanta personal injury lawyers– about 25% of all choking-related hospital admissions were caused by toys or other products that were in compliance with Consumer Product Safety Commission regulations for these products.

Published on: April 23, 2010

Macon Police Investigating Series of Dog Bites

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Macon Police Investigating Series of Dog Bites

Macon police have been investigating two separate dog bite incidents this week.

Both incidents occurred in South Macon. The first incident involved a man who was attacked by a pack of pit bulls. According to the man, he was walking along when the group of dogs attacked him with no provocation. Residents in the area were able to hear his cries for help, and respond. There is no information about the owner of the dog. By the time officers arrived at the scene, the dogs had disappeared, and officers were unable to trace them.

Published on: April 21, 2010

Highway Work Zone Accidents Profiled This Week

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Department Of Transportation has announced its annual National Work Zone Awareness Week which will last from 19 April to 23 April.

Every year, the federal administration declares a special week dedicated to highway work zone safety.This year, there are expected to be several active highway repair and construction projects in Georgia. That means Atlantans and Georgians will enjoy better designed, well constructed and safer roadways. It also means that there will be several active work zones across Georgia, increasing the risk of accidents to both motorists as well as construction workers. It’s these accident risks that National Work Zone Awareness Week is attempting to minimize.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is also drawing attention to the fact that highway work zone accidents kill more motorists than construction workers. In 2005, there were 61 work zone fatalities in Georgia. These were deaths that were entirely preventable.

Published on: April 20, 2010

Consumer Product Safety Database Available Next Year

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

New CPSC Database Will Let Consumers Know of Product Injuries Before a Recall

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is investing more than $20 million in establishing a searchable database that will make information about product injuries available to consumers before any recall is announced. It’s a development that was long overdue, and promises to offer American consumers the kind of information and knowledge they need to make safe choices for their families.

The final details of the database have not been established yet. It is likely to be available on saferproducts.gov, and is expected to be online by this time next year. Once up, the database will contain information about literally thousands of consumer products, from gifts, cribs, and strollers to power tools and electronic appliances.

Published on: April 19, 2010

Highway Fatalities Decreasing

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

How many highway fatalities are too many highway fatalities? That’s one question that has had auto safety advocates’ and Atlanta car accident lawyers’ attention ever since the NHTSA announced that highway fatalities in the US were at an all-time low.

While 33,960 fatalities in 2009 may seem like good news, there’s one group of transportation safety officials that doesn’t believe so. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is aiming for the ultimate highway accident fatality rate – zero. It is adopting an approach called Toward Zero Deaths. The program’s goal is to alter the most common driving behaviors that frequently cause accidents – drunk driving, distracted driving, speeding and failing to buckle up.

The group is finding much success in its efforts towards minimizing fatality rates even further. Auto safety groups are urging Congress to set a target of halving the highway fatality rate in the next two decades. In August, AASHTO and the Transportation Research Board will convene a meeting in Washington that will be attended by auto safety experts from around the country. Several states are engaged in encouraging initiatives aimed at further reducing fatality rates.

Published on: April 15, 2010

Dementia Patients Okay to Drive Says Neurology Group

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Elderly motorists in Georgia have restrictions imposed on their driving abilities. These are in place to make sure that senior citizens can continue to drive safely in Georgia, without endangering their own safety, as well as the lives and safety of other drivers. Driving for elderly people is not just a convenient way of getting around, but also a major factor in their mental health. Studies have shown that elderly citizens, who have their car keys taken away from them, can fall into a depression. More senior motorists may soon be able to continue with their driving privileges.

The American Academy of Neurology this week said that it would be revising its guidelines allowing patients with mild dementia to continue driving. As of now, the group does not recommend driving privileges for patients diagnosed with even a mild degree of dementia. However under the new guidelines, patients with mild dementia who have a safe accident record and whose families believe they can drive safely, may be able to continue to do so.

According to the group, studies seem to indicate that most persons who suffer from mild dementia pass driving tests successfully. In fact, studies showed that 77 percent of these persons were able to pass these tests, confirming their driving abilities.

Published on: April 14, 2010

Georgia Pedestrian at Risk from Crosswalk Shortages

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Georgia Pedestrians at Risk from Shortage of Crosswalks

A pedestrian accident last week in Marietta killed a four-your-old boy and seriously injured his mother and sister. The family was crossing the road in front of their apartment when they were struck by a van. The driver of the van drove off from the scene, but was traced later and arrested.

As Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyers, we often come across the single most important question that people seem to ask whenever a pedestrian is involved in a collision. Was the person walking on a crosswalk?

Published on: April 14, 2010

Motorcyclist Killed in Atlanta Accident

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A motorcyclist was killed in a tragic hit-and-run accident in Atlanta over the weekend. The victim was riding his motorcycle, and ran out of gas. He was stopped at the side of Interstate 20 West, when he was struck by a car. He died instantly from his injuries..The motorist continued driving after he struck the motorcyclist. Fortunately, an off-duty Georgia State Trooper was just behind the car, and noticed the accident. He chased the car, and was able to apprehend the motorist.

Last year, there were more than 5,000 people killed in motorcycle accidents across the country. That was a record since motorcycle crash data gathering began more than three decades ago. It’s also a reminder to Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers that we’re still far from even understanding what is causing this spike in fatalities, let alone developing measures to prevent these.

A new motorcycle crash causation study however, provides a glimmer of hope. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute is partnering with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to conduct a study that would provide a fresh look into the causes of these accidents.The study is expected to begin in 2012. It is expected to be the first naturalistic study of motorcycle crash causes. It will also be one of the first major studies into motorcycle crash causes in decades.

Published on: April 11, 2010

Commercial Trucks to Carry Onboard Recorders

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

FMCSA Passes Rule Requiring EOBRs on Certain Carriers

The question of having Electronic Onboard Recorders on commercial trucks has been out there for several years.The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has finally made its decision. The agency has adopted a rule that will require electronic onboard recorders to be installed on the vehicles of trucking companies that are found to exceed the hours of service rules by 10%.

Failure to comply during a single review is good enough to impose the EOBR rule on a carrier. Carriers found to be in violation of hours of service for more than 10% of the time in a single review will be required to have the recorders installed for a period of two years.