Automobile Accidents

Published on: June 22, 2020

Fatal Pedestrian Accidents Much More Likely to Involve SUVs

Research has shown that pedestrians are much more likely to be killed in accidents involving sport utility vehicles, compared to smaller passenger vehicles. The result is not unexpected given the sheer size of SUV’s. But the reason this is bad news for pedestrians is because SUV’s have become increasing popular over the past decade.

According to the results of a new study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, accidents where a pedestrian was struck by an SUV travelling faster than 19 miles per hour were much more likely to result in a fatality than accidents involving a smaller vehicle travelling at a similar speed. When vehicles were travelling at between 23 and 25 mph, the accident fatality rate for SUVs was 30%, compared to 23% for smaller passenger vehicles.

When SUVs were traveling at 40 mph, all 3 accidents involving SUVs in the study data resulted in pedestrian deaths, compared to 7 out of 3 fatalities in accidents involving small passenger vehicles. Not surprisingly, there was little difference in the fatality rate when the speed of the vehicles was below 20 mph, with passengers in both types of accidents sustaining minimal injuries.

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Published on: April 27, 2020

Reckless Driving on the Increase during Pandemic

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The number of vehicles on our roads has plunged during the pandemic, but the risk from reckless and speeding drivers is ever present. According to the Governors’ Highway Safety Association, there has been an increase in reckless driving across the country since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Governors’ Highway Safety Association recently released a news alert urging motorists to adhere to their regular safe driving routines to avoid accidents, especially during these highly uncertain times.

The lower number of vehicles on the roads seems to have triggered a false sense of confidence among motorists during the pandemic that they are able to disregard normal driving laws. The organization is reporting an increase in speeding across the country. Several states have reported finding drivers now frequently exceeding the 100-mile an hour mark. In some states, drivers have routinely been found to be driving at speeds exceeding 20 to 40 miles over the limits. Many states are also seeing an increase in negligent or reckless driving.

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Published on: November 25, 2019

What You Need to Know If You’re a Victim of a Hit-and-Run Accident

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Being in a car accident is enough to ruin anyone’s day. But when you are a victim of a hit and run accident, it can double a person’s frustrations.

If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, Georgia law requires a driver to stop after an accident and provide identifying information to the other people involved. In any accident which results in injury or death to a person, or damage to a vehicle, a driver is required to stop at the scene of the accident and provide his or her name, address, and registration number of their vehicle. The requirement to information applies to any driver who is involved in a motor vehicle accident, regardless of who is at fault. There are some who may think that they are not required to exchange information with the other vehicle if the police are not called to the scene of the accident. However, this requirement also holds true even if the police are not called to the accident.

Georgia law also requires a person to provide reasonable aid or assistance if a person is injured as a result of the motor vehicle accident. This can include calling an ambulance or even transporting the injured person to receive medical care. If the injury victim is unconscious or unable to communicate, the other driver is required to make reasonable efforts to contact the police and emergency medical treatment.

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Published on: September 30, 2019

Georgia Moves Closer to Requiring Seatbelts for Backseat Passengers

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The state of Georgia is moving closer to requiring ALL persons in a car to wear seatbelts while the car is in motion, including back seat passengers.

Currently, Georgia does not require back seat passengers to buckle up while riding in a motor vehicle. Thirty other states have laws that require back seat passengers to wear their seatbelts. Not wearing a seatbelts can place back seat passengers at tremendous risk of injury, or even death, in an accident.

The Georgia Senate Passenger Vehicle Seat Belt Safety Study Committee was created recently to study the consequences of failure to wear seatbelts by back seat passengers. The Committee was created by Senator Tonya Anderson, D-Lithonia, who calls this failure to require back seat passengers to buckle up a serious safety issue. Requiring back seat passengers to buckle up can help reduce the number fatalities in car accidents.

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Published on: June 3, 2019

Drowsy Driving Can Be As Dangerous As Drunk Driving.

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Summer road-trip season is here, which means thousands of people will hit the roads all throughout the country to travel to their vacation destinations. Oftentimes these trips involve long drives, sometimes overnight, on a seemingly endless stretch of highway. During these long road-trips, many drivers will ignore the need to stop and rest adequately, and continue to drive until they reach their destination. Unfortunately, thousands of people are killed every year in accidents that involve drowsy or fatigued drivers. The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety was recently awarded a grant that will be used to combat this dangerous driving situation.

Drowsy driving is a widespread phenomenon. According to data from the Governors Highway Safety Association, in 2015, at least 5,000 deaths were attributed to traffic accidents caused by drowsy drivers. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that at least 50 percent of American drivers frequently drive under the influence of sleep or fatigue. More than 40 percent of drivers admit to having fallen asleep while driving at least once in the past.

The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety recently received a $15,000 grant from the Governors Highway Safety Association and the National Road Safety Foundation to aid in its campaign against drowsy driving in the state. The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety strives to promote awareness of the dangers of drowsy driving which is a dangerous but overlooked hazard on Georgia’s roads.

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Published on: April 12, 2019

New Volvo Cars Will Report Drunk Drivers to Police

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Drunk driving kills. Anyone who has been in a car accident, especially one that was caused by a drunk or distracted driver, will tell you that they wished there were more safety measures available to protect them. Car manufacturers today have been steadily designing more and more safety and driver protection features, whether it is anti-lock brakes, vehicle detection sensors or even auto-steering. Self-driving cars are now touted as the ultimate driver safety feature. One manufacturer, however, is developing technology geared specifically to protect other drivers from drunk or distracted driver. If the new auto technology that is being developed by Volvo is successful, the chances of you being injured by a drunken motorist could drop significantly.

The Swedish automaker recently announced that it has been working on technology that will allow a car to gauge whether the driver is impaired or driving while under the influence of alcohol. If the technology determines that the driver is indeed impaired and could be at risk of causing an accident, the car will actually report the driver to the police.

Volvo’s autonomous technology has already blazed trails with its forward collision warning systems and other technologies that take over control of the automobile when a motorist is at risk of crashing with objects or pedestrians in the car’s path. Now, the Swedish automaker is designing technology that will go one step further in cracking down on drunk, or even distracted, driving.

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Published on: August 25, 2017

Car Accident Risks and ADHD

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Driving safety is a matter of concern for parents of most teens, and especially so for the parents of a teenager diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A new study finds that teenagers who suffer from ADHD are more likely than their peers to be involved in a motor vehicle collision.

After acquiring a driver’s license, a teen with ADHD has a risk of having a car accident that is 36% higher than non-ADHD teens who have recently been licensed. The crash risk is the same for both boys as well as girls with ADHD. The study is not all doom and gloom, however. The same study finds that the accident risk for teens with ADHD is actually much lower than earlier studies have found.

Researchers believe that medication significantly reduces the risk that a teen with ADHD will meet with an accident. At the time of the study, only 12 percent of teenagers were on any kind of ADHD medication.

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Published on: August 15, 2017

How Princess Di’s Tragic Death Helped Make Roads Safer

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

August marks the 20^th anniversary of the tragic death of Princess Diana. What many people are not aware of, however, is how Di’s tragic death in a Paris tunnel in 1997 significantly changed the driving landscape in France, and made roads in that country safer for all motorists.

After the accident in a Paris tunnel in 1997, French investigators came to the conclusion that the accident was the result of unsafe and dangerous driving practices. In 2002, the French government signed a number of new laws that were specifically designed to help reduce the incidence of unsafe driving. As a result of those laws, traffic accident fatalities in the country actually dropped by as much as one-third.

In the new study, researchers claim that France’s decision to enact traffic safety laws in the aftermath of the tragic and high-profile death significantly improved traffic safety in that country, and may have helped save many lives. In fact, the study suggests that thousands of French lives could have been saved as a result of legislative changes that were enacted. In fact, French road fatalities in the decades after the fatal crash fell by as much as 30% on average, compared with an average of 15% in the United States.

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Published on: July 1, 2017

Car Shopping for a Teen Driver: A Handy Checklist

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Buying a new car for a teenager is a momentous decision. You are concerned about safety, while your teen wants a car that’s high on horsepower and style. How do you make the right choice?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released its top car picks for teenagers. The list provides a comprehensive range of makes and models that parents can choose from. A look through the list will identify a few common factors that each of these models shares such as limited horsepower, large size, and a focus on safety features.

Here are some useful tips on what to look for when buying a car for your teenager:

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Published on: June 20, 2017

Improving Economy Translates into Higher Accident Risks

By Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Car accident fatality rates are often linked to the state of the economy. As the US economy improves, experts are already identifying a perceptible increase in the number of people being killed in accidents.

The logic linking a higher risk of accidents to an improved economy is fairly simple. When the economy is good, people tend to drive more, and more numbers of vehicle miles traveled simply translates into a higher risk of accidents. With more vehicles on the road there is a much higher risk of collisions.

It is not just the higher number of people on the roads that increases crash risks, however. It’s also the fact that people tend to drive more for recreational purposes when the economy is doing great. For instance, people are likely to travel more on holiday or go out for dinner in a good economy, compared to a distressed economy. Interestingly enough, people are also likely to drive faster when the economy is good.

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