A woman who had been accused of causing a car accident by street racing has been found by Georgia state trooper's investigators to not be responsible for the crash. The accident that happed back on May 10 left her boyfriend and 6-month old son dead. Because of initial reports and eyewitness interviews, the Georgia State Patrol had believed she was driving the vehicle and was involved in street racing. The vehicle had gone out of control, struck a guardrail, and was then struck by another car. The victims had all been taken to the hospital, and apparently, who was driving at the time of the car accident had become confused. This story highlights the difficulty of determining the facts in a car accident, why it can take so much time and can be so expensive. Car accidents can be tremendously violent events, vehicles can be ripped apart and, as with this…

When emergency vehicles respond to call, they often have to violate normal traffic laws. Of course, they are authorized to do so, as time is always of the essence, whether it is a police call, responding to a fire or an ambulance, or EMTs responding to a medical emergency. This creates additional risk, beyond those normally encountered on Georgia's highways. A recent car accident, involving a Warner Robins police officer and another driver, highlights those risks. The police officer's vehicle was divine east on Russell Parkway. He passed through a green light on Kimberly Road and struck the pickup truck. The pickup truck was making a left turn and apparently did not stop for the police vehicle. The car accident resulted in minor injuries to both drivers. High-speed accidents can be catastrophic, with both emergency personnel being killed and injured as well as innocent drivers. Police, fire, and ambulance drivers spend a…

Truck move America. At any moment, hundreds of thousands of trucks are moving goods across the country. As part of legislation dealing with transportation needs for the future, Congress has requested that the prospect of larger trucks be considered. These trucks would allow more goods to be transported, and in theory, lower the costs. At least, for some entities. The price the rest of us could be wind up paying, however, could be much higher. Some of the opposition to the proposal comes from a somewhat unexpected quarter: truck drivers. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), an association of independent truck drivers sees the potential for more truck accidents resulting from these larger trucks. The proposal would permit trucks to increase to 97,000 lbs on six-axles. Trucks this size today are considered heavy hauls and are a specialized area of trucking. The size and complexity of these larger trucks demand a…

A Bibb County woman has died after she was involved in a car crash. Although this fatal car crash involved just one vehicle, and we most often work with clients who have been in two-vehicle accidents, we thought it served as a sad and sobering reminder for all of us of how dangerous driving can be. The 25-year-old woman was traveling along Hartley Bridge Road early Sunday when she lost control of her vehicle near Arnold Drive. She then crashed her vehicle into a fence. Authorities put the time of the accident around 1 a.m. The woman was rushed to The Medical Center of Central Georgia after the accident, but it was too late and there was nothing the doctors could do to save her. She was pronounced dead around 3:30 a.m. The woman leaves behind a 6-year-old son. As we said, fatal car crashes like this happen far too often, but…

Motorcycle helmet laws have long been a source of controversy. Safety advocates have argued they save lives and lessen injuries. Groups opposed claim they inhibit their ability to hear other vehicles and argue it is their right to choose to wear a helmet. In Georgia, all motorcycle riders are required to wear a helmet. In other states, helmet laws have been enacted, repealed, reenacted, and amended. Unlike many states, Georgia's helmet law has remained unchanged since 1969. Michigan repealed its helmet law in 2012, with only riders younger than 21 being required to wear a helmet. A study by the Highway Loss Data Institute has found that in the last year, hospital costs have increased by 34 percent for motorcycle accidents. According to the report, the average insurance payment on a motorcycle injury claim increased by $1,847 over claims made in the two years prior to the repeal. Since helmets…