Georgia Injury Law Blog

Published on: February 14, 2024

Massive or Large Cars are a Major Car Accident Risk on Georgia Roads

While car accident wrongful death numbers in the rest of the developed world have been falling significantly, they have actually been on the rise in the United States. Part of the reason for this, experts say, is the presence of massive or large automobiles on our roads.

Tall SUVs are extremely popular, and have been so for decades. The race to make these cars bigger and better has, unfortunately, resulted in serious safety consequences for motorists and pedestrians. Some of these tall trucks, especially those with blunt trunks, aim directly at the torso or neck of the average American woman. The height of these vehicles makes it almost impossible for motorists to see shorter pedestrians, like young children behind the car. Even more devastating is the kind of impact that an auto accident with one of these monster-sized cars can result in. An auto accident with a smaller car may leave passengers suffering injuries in the leg, while an accident with a tall pick up truck or SUV can leave a passenger with personal injuries to the upper torso or the head and neck, and these personal injuries can be infinitely more serious. They are often also fatal.

Not only are these cars bigger and stronger, but they also come with large blind zones in front of the vehicle. That means they are at risk of causing severe and catastrophic personal injuries to vulnerable users of the road like pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicycles involved in an auto accident with these tall pickup trucks and SUVs. Of special worry is the large blind zone in front of these large vehicles. In one study, experts wanted to study how difficult it is for the driver in one of these cars to identify child pedestrians in front of the car. The experts made children sit in a row in front of the car. They found that a woman driver sitting in the driver’s seat was only able to see the 10th child in the row. Even an alert driver may not be able to identify child pedestrians in front of the car. The kind of car accidents that these large cars cause are devastating and often result in deaths.

Published on: February 12, 2024

Most Light Vehicles Now Come with Crucial Auto Accident Prevention Technology

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

All manufacturers of light vehicles who signed a 2016 agreement have fulfilled the commitment they made to equip their vehicles with crucial auto emergency braking systems to prevent car accidents.

The 2016 agreement was brought about by the efforts of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Twenty automakers participated in the agreement in which they agreed to substantially increase the number of manufactured vehicles equipped with automatic emergency braking systems. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, between August and September 2023, additional automakers fulfilled their pledge of installing auto emergency braking systems on 95% of their light vehicles. With this, all 20 automakers that signed the agreement are in fulfilment of their commitment.

This means that a majority of the light vehicles that weigh less than 8,500 pounds on our roads will be equipped with this crucial car accident prevention technology. Some auto manufacturers, including Honda, now have close to 100% of their light vehicles equipped with auto emergency braking systems while other manufacturers have at least 95% of their light vehicles equipped with these car accident prevention systems.

Published on: February 8, 2024

Studies Call for Improved Auto Accident Protection Systems for Trucks and Motorcycles

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Auto accident prevention technologies like forward collision warning systems do a very good job of reducing the risk of auto accidents involving passenger vehicles, but may not be as effective in preventing motorcycle accidents and trucking accidents.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released the findings of two new studies which found that forward collision warning systems and automatic emergency braking systems are very beneficial in reducing the risk of car accidents involving passenger vehicles, but not as effective in preventing accidents involving motorcycles and trucks. The studies focused on more than 160,000 auto accidents involving passenger vehicles, large trucks and motorcycles.

According to the studies, these systems can help reduce the risk of rear-ender auto accidents involving passenger vehicles by as much as 53%. However, they were found to reduce the risk of accidents involving large commercial trucks by only 38% and motorcycle accidents by 41%. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, as many as 5,500 lives could be saved every year if auto accident prevention systems were enhanced to make them more effective in identifying and reducing the risk of colliding with large tractor trailers. An additional 500 lives could be saved in motorcycle accidents if these technologies could be improved to help identify motorcycles that are notoriously harder to identify for motorists.

Published on: February 6, 2024

Spinal Injury can Cause Muscle Wastage in Patients

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A spinal cord injury can result in loss of muscle to a larger extent than can be attributed to lack of movement and mobility. A new study points to one of the lesser known, but longer term consequences of a spinal cord injury after an auto accident.

A spinal cord injury is a serious personal injury that is caused when there is an injury to the spine during an auto accident, or motorcycle accident or pedestrian accident. Spinal cord injuries may also be caused in slip and fall accidents. The degree and severity of the spinal cord injury can depend on the location of the vertebrae where the injury occurs. Spinal cord injuries can result in loss of movement and mobility making it impossible for the person to stand, walk and otherwise use his or her limbs. These personal injuries significantly alter a person’s life and his ability to earn a living and live a normal life after the personal injury.

A new study finds that there are long term consequences of a spinal injury that we may not be aware of. The study recently found that a spinal cord injury can cause significant muscle wastage in patients. Some degree of muscle wastage in patients who have suffered a spinal cord injury is to be expected because of the lack of movement and exercise that can cause muscles to wither away. According to the study, however, the kind of muscle wastage that a person with these injuries suffers cannot simply be explained away by lack of movement. In fact, the researchers believe that it has more to do with the ability of the adrenal glands to receive nerve signals.

Published on: February 1, 2024

Poor Sleep and its Impact on Teen Car Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Many teenagers have poor sleep hygiene, and this can increase their risks of being involved in drowsy driving-related car accidents. A new study shows that poor sleep quality in teenagers can occur because of their addiction to texting and video games.

It is no secret that teenagers are addicted to their smartphones, but it is specific types of smartphone usage that may be especially detrimental to teenagers and their sleep patterns. Researchers at Penn State analyzed smartphone behavior by teenagers and its impact on their sleep patterns. They found all smartphone usage was not the same as far as impact on sleep hygiene goes. The study found that interactive activities like texting or playing video games have the most detrimental effect on a teenager’s sleep quality.

Interestingly enough, these activities do not even have to take place close to the teenager’s sleep time for it to affect his sleep duration or time. Even daytime activities like playing video games can impact sleep quality and duration. For every one hour more than usual that a teen played a video game, his usual bedtime was delayed by 10 minutes.

Published on: January 29, 2024

Drunk Driving Car Accident Prevention Technology May soon Be Standard in all Cars

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The federal administration has kickstarted the rule-making process that would require drunk driving car accident prevention technology on all new cars.

This welcome announcement was made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which recently announced that it has started work on the rule- making process that would require impaired driving prevention systems on all new cars. These systems that work to prevent drivers from operating a vehicle include technology that measures the amount of alcohol on a person’s breath and prevents him from operating the engine if it detects a certain amount of alcohol in his system. This technology is very similar to the ignition interlock systems that are currently used in several states, including Georgia, as penalties for repeat drunk driving offenders. Other technologies that will be reviewed include camera systems that can monitor eye movements in order to identify if a driver is impaired or driving under the influence of alcohol.

At this point, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiative would allow regulators to collect data about the various systems that are currently in place in automobiles and their impact in reducing the incidence of driving under the influence of alcohol. If things reach their preferred conclusion, we could have drunk driving auto accident prevention sensors, cameras or other systems in all new cars as a standard feature. There is no doubt that this could significantly help reduce the number of car accidents caused by impaired drivers.

Published on: January 25, 2024

The Impact of Automated Enforcement on Minimizing Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The use of automated enforcement like red light camera systems can be a sensitive and touchy subject for most Atlanteans, but as federal administration officials focus harder on preventing auto accident wrongful deaths and serious personal injuries, the presence of such systems on American roads is only likely to increase.

A recent report by the Governors Highway Safety Association and State Farm focused on the various types of automated enforcement systems that are currently in place on American roads, effectiveness of these systems and the sensitivities involved in the implementation of these systems. The most common automated enforcement technologies currently on our roads include red light camera systems, speed camera systems and school bus stop arm camera systems. Some jurisdictions have also begun preliminary experimentation with cameras to identify when people are driving without seatbelts and when motorists are using cell phones while driving.

The need for automotive enforcement, especially speed camera systems, has become even more dire over the past few years as speeding rates across the country have skyrocketed. The number of people being killed in car accidents directly related to speeding has also increased. Law enforcement departments across the country have been struggling with reduced staffing, and that has meant departments looking more and more towards the use of automation to help with enforcement.

Published on: January 23, 2024

Brain Implant Helps Car Accident Victims Recover Cognitive Abilities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

One of the most devastating consequences of a brain injury after a car accident is the effect on a person’s cognitive abilities. A new study finds that a brain stimulator device can help a person recover these critical abilities after a personal injury.

The findings of the study were published in a recent issue of the Nature Medicine journal. The researchers implanted the stimulators in the brains of persons who had suffered brain injuries as a result of trauma. The implants were left on for about 12 hours a day and the participants spent 3 months with the implants.

The research by scientists at Stanford University found that the implantation of the deep brain stimulator helped trigger electric activity in brain neurons that had been left damaged after trauma. While the researchers were hoping for a 10% increase in mental processing as a result of the implantation of the device, they were surprised to find that the improvement was as high as 32% in the patients. What is even more promising is that the device can help with impairments that have occurred as a result of old brain injuries. According to the scientists, the device offers great hope to persons who have suffered injuries that have left them with memory loss and poor thinking skills.

Published on: January 19, 2024

Why Night Shift Work can Increase Car Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Sleep experts have always known that night shift workers are at a higher risk of being involved in a car accident. A new study finds even more conclusive proof that night shift workers are at risk of a number of sleep disorders that can increase their risks of being involved in a car crash.

The study was conducted in the Netherlands where Dutch researchers found that out of all the patients involved in the study, more than 51% suffered from at least one sleep disorder. The researchers focused on more than 37,000 workers who were questioned about their work patterns and sleeping habits. The researchers screened participants for 6 common sleep disorders including insomnia, hypersomnia or excessive sleeping, sleep apnea and other sleep – related breathing disorders, sleep walking, sleep – related movement disorders and sleep – wake disturbances. They found that 51% or at least one third of the participants suffered from at least one sleep disorder and 13% of all participants suffered from at least two of the sleep disorders for which they were screened.

Among those who did night shifts, whether regular night shifts or rotational night shifts, 26% reported at least two or more sleep disorders. Consistent and regular night shifts seemed to be the most dangerous for workers with many of these workers reporting lower than optimum hours of sleep. About 50 percent of the workers who were on night shifts reported that they often slept for less than 6 hours a day. The ideal sleep duration for an adult is 8 hours everyday.

Published on: January 15, 2024

Experts Recommend In-Vehicle Speed Limiters to Prevent Car Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A coalition of stakeholders is recommending that vehicles come equipped with speed limiters that would help motorists drive at safe speeds and reduce the number of auto accidents caused by speeding.

The Road to Zero Coalition is a group of stakeholders including automakers, regulators, safety experts and other organizations that are committed to not just envisioning, but also bringing about a scenario with minimal car accident wrongful deaths by the year 2050. Progress towards reducing the number of car accidents has been slow, and has, in fact, reversed over the past few years as fatality numbers have soared across the country. The situation became even more dire during the pandemic as the number of car accident wrongful deaths across the country skyrocketed during this period of time. Speeding is being blamed as one of the primary reasons for the increase in car accident deaths not only in Georgia, but across the country. Experts believe that motorists who became use to speeding on empty roads during the lockdowns have not yet adjusted to larger traffic volumes following the end of the pandemic and easing of travel restrictions. This has contributed to a spike in the number of people being killed in car accidents.

These car accident wrongful deaths are very preventable because they are mostly due to human error. Speeding, for instance, accounts for approximately 30% of all car accident deaths in the country. Curtailing speeding, therefore, is on top of the priority list for the Road to Zero coalition which recently called for the use of Intelligent Speed Assistance systems on all cars. These systems can alert the motorist when he or she is travelling at speeds higher than the posted speed limits. The system makes use of GPS software and other technology in order to identify the posted speed limits on the route and sound audible alerts if the driver does not apply the brakes. In some cases, the system can even intervene to reduce speed limits automatically by reducing power to the engine in case the motorist fails to act by applying the brakes.