Georgia Personal Injury Law Blog

Occupants of passenger vehicles in Georgia will always be at an increased risk when they share the roadways with big rigs. The sheer size difference increases the risk of catastrophic injuries or fatalities in any truck accident. Road safety is the shared responsibility of operators of all modes of transport, including those on two-wheels like cyclists and motorcycle riders. Safety authorities say drivers of smaller vehicles should consider the unique challenges with which large truck operators must deal. The fact that big rigs could be up to 30 times the size of passenger vehicles makes it more challenging for a driver to maneuver large trucks and buses. Acceleration and braking are particularly dangerous because these large vehicles are slow to accelerate when going uphill and quick to gain speed when they go downhill. The taller the vehicle, the higher its center of gravity, which increases the risk of rolling over. For this…

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries follow drowsy driving crashes nationwide each year, including Georgia. The National Sleep Foundation reports that the most likely age group to cause drowsy driving car wrecks are drivers from 18 through 29 years old. The recommended number of sleeping hours per night is seven to nine, which makes parents with children more vulnerable. Drivers are advised to stay engaged by chatting with passengers and selecting lively music to which they can sing along, instead of soothing tunes that could cause drowsiness. However, too much focus on conversations and music could be distracting. Some drivers listen to audiobooks to keep them alert -- a great help when driving alone, and rolling down the window might also prevent drowsiness. Traveling long distances is best done in pairs while taking turns to drive. Lone drivers are advised to pull over where…

There are numerous distractions for a driver while on the road. While the most obvious these days is cellphone usage, passengers, roadside commotion, or even the driver's own thoughts can take focus away from the road. That loss of concentration on driving can lead to a fatal car accident or one with varying degrees of injury. A 33-year-old man from Hall County was recently killed in a mid-morning fatal car accident. The man was headed west in his Ford Focus when a Dodge Ram pickup traveling east crossed over the center lane. The two vehicles collided head-on. When Georgia State Patrol troopers arrived on the scene, they found the driver of the Ford had died from blunt force trauma caused by the impact. The pickup truck had rolled over and landed upside down. The driver was injured and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The state's specialized reconstruction team…

Sometimes obeying traffic laws seems to interfere with what a driver thinks needs to be done. There are days when one is late for work and it feels like every light in Georgia is turning red just as the individual approaches it. Other days, one is in a hurry to get home or to a meeting and the stop sign just seems to be pointless. While there are times when some traffic laws may appear to get in the way, fatal accidents can occur when they are not heeded. Recently, two individuals were killed and another critically injured when one of the individuals failed to stop at a stop sign. According to authorities, one of the drivers was traveling west toward an intersection and appears to have legally proceeded to cross through it. Another driver was traveling south toward the same intersection. However, this driver apparently did not stop as required by the…

Many people don't like traveling next to a tractor-trailer on the interstate. Because of the size of the truck and the weight of some of the loads, other vehicles rarely stand a chance of getting away unscathed in a truck accident. A 55-year-old woman was injured in a truck accident on a part of I-75 that runs through central Georgia. A report stated the truck was attempting to enter the interstate from an on-ramp when part of the oversized equipment it was carrying hit the bridge that spanned the interstate at that exit. Some of the bridge fragments fell to the pavement and hit the car that was behind the truck. The woman was injured, taken to an area hospital for treatment and was released after doctors determined her condition was stable. The driver of the truck was not injured. Although details were not given, he was issued a citation by the state's…

Motorcycle drivers love riding their bikes, as it affords a feeling of freedom on the road other drivers may not understand. However, riding a motorcycle can be hazardous, mainly due to those other drivers. A motorcycle accident may happen when car and truck drivers are not vigilant, not noticing a biker who may be in their path. Charges have been brought against a 21-year-old Georgia woman after she caused a deadly motorcycle accident. An 18-year-old high school student was riding his bike when the woman's car hit him. She was making a left-hand turn and did not yield to the oncoming motorcycle. He was transported to an area hospital after being thrown from his bike and died not long after his arrival. The woman was not arrested at the time of the accident but just recently turned herself in. She was charged with vehicular homicide and failure to yield. At the time…

Those who choose to drink alcohol and then drive are a danger to themselves and others. So many families are left to pick up the pieces after a loved one is seriously hurt or killed as a result of drunk driving. One Georgia family is grieving after the loss of a 2-year-old boy in a drunk driving accident. At approximately 11 p.m., an SUV was stopped at an intersection and waiting for a green light when a pickup truck hit the back end of the vehicle. The little boy, who had been strapped in his car seat in the back seat of the SUV, died after being rushed to an area hospital. His father had been in the driver's seat and was treated for numerous broken bones. A report on the incident only stated his mother, who had been riding in the front passenger seat, was close to giving birth to a second child, but…

When a driver ignores traffic laws, bad things can happen. The laws were put in place for the safety of all who are on the road, whether driver, passenger or pedestrian. Breaking the law may lead to a car accident that could seriously injure or kill someone. A driver choosing to ignore a stop sign caused a car accident in which a Georgia resident was killed. A spokesperson for the Georgia State Patrol reported that a 19-year-old drove his Jeep through the stop sign for a side road intersecting with a state highway. She hit the passenger side of a pickup truck driven by a 31-year-old resident of a nearby town. The pickup driver was taking a friend home from work. The friend was a former contestant on a once-popular reality dance show, "So You Think You Can Dance." Both men were rushed to an area hospital, where the friend died. The driver…

Driving drunk can bring a multitude of problems to a number of people. When people are injured or killed in a drunk driving accident, physical and emotional scars for the survivors can last for years. A Georgia man has been indicted on multiple charges after inflicting pain on two people in a drunk driving accident. On the evening of April 28, 2018, the man was attempting to make a left-hand turn in his SUV, which was also occupied by his 5-year-old daughter and another passenger. Reportedly, he did not yield to oncoming traffic and slammed into a motorcycle. The man's passenger and the motorcycle rider were taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. While his daughter was not injured, the man was taken to a hospital for examination, where the doctor smelled alcohol on him. Police found an open can of beer in his vehicle, and he failed a test that…

The number of people in Georgia who drive drunk continually increases. Even some who have faced prior recrimination do not seem to have learned their lesson on drunk driving, no matter how many people they have hurt, both emotionally and physically. Two mothers just testified for the last time after their sons were killed in a drunk driving accident nearly three years ago. The two men were cousins and were going through an intersection only a block away from their destination, the venue where a high school reunion was taking place, when an SUV crashed into their sedan. They both died at the scene. A report stated the driver of the SUV was arguing with one of his two passengers and his speed topped out at 109 mph as he ran a red light. Both passengers were also seriously injured in the crash. Although there were eyewitnesses and security cameras in the…