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…

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…

There can be numerous reasons a Georgia driver gets into a car accident on the road. While cellphones are thought to be responsible for the most obvious loss of focus during a driver's travels, other passengers, other vehicles, and even medical conditions can contribute to a lack of concentration that could cause a car accident. Four adults and six children were involved in a recent car accident where the injuries ranged from minor to critical. According to an officer with the Georgia State Patrol, a pickup truck with two adults had stopped on a state highway to make a left-hand turn. A minivan with two juvenile passengers and the driver had stopped behind the truck. A third vehicle, a subcompact car occupied by one adult and 4 children rammed into the rear of the stationary minivan. All four adults suffered minor injuries, as did four of the children. Injuries to the…

Drinking and driving is selfish. Many who consume alcohol or drugs before getting behind the wheel believe they will reach their destination without causing a car accident. Others simply do not care if they cause harm or not. Two people were injured in a car accident when a Georgia man apparently decided he would drive after drinking. A police report was released by the responding officer after the man made a turn and entered the wrong lane, crashing into an SUV. A child and an adult in the SUV were injured and were taken to a nearby hospital to be treated. Neither had been critically injured and were released by the time the details of the report were published. Police say the man who instigated the collision seemed to be inebriated, as it was believed he had an odor of alcohol on his breath, was slurring his words, and was unsteady on…

It does not take but a moment's distraction for a motor vehicle to cause some serious damage. Just a split second of taking eyes off the road can result in a car accident where someone is killed or critically injured. A Georgia man faces numerous charges concerning a car accident that claimed the life of a 42-year-old woman. The woman was headed west in her sedan when an SUV traveling east crossed over the centerline into oncoming traffic. The head-on collision killed the woman. The SUV driver and his female passenger were also injured and taken to an area medical facility, but they are both expected to make a complete recovery. The man turned himself in to the county authorities and has been charged with reckless driving, vehicular homicide and improper use of a seat belt. Reportedly, there are other unspecified charges pending against him. At the time of a report on the accident,…

Caution on the road is imperative these days, as the potential for an accident is present or at any time of the day or night. That potential for a fatal car accident increases with the number of people who consume alcohol or drugs and then get behind the wheel. A Georgia woman was recently indicted by a grand jury for killing three adults in a fatal car accident. The 59-year-old woman was transporting four people to their assisted-living facility nearly 10 months ago when she ran off the road in her SUV. The vehicle crossed three lanes, ran off the road and hit the side of a ditch before flipping over. Three of her passengers died at the scene from the impact and she and a fourth passenger were seriously injured. They were air-lifted to a hospital 30 miles away from the accident. Responding police say they found cocaine in the driver's…

Everyone can make a mistake, but that does not excuse carelessness while operating a motor vehicle. Should that carelessness lead to a car accident that causes the injury or death of another person, the driver could be financially accountable and may be subject to a civil lawsuit. Sometimes, criminal charges apply as well. A Georgia woman was injured in a car accident and is seeking justice that the local police department claims it will not enforce. The woman says she was in the parking lot of a retail store after making a purchase and returning to her car when another car backed out of its parking space and hit her. She claims the two of them made eye contact before the man began to drive in reverse. Not only did the car knock her to the ground, but the woman claims the driver ran over one of her legs before driving away. A dash…

The negligence of one person can have a ripple effect, resulting in adverse consequences for a number of people. One person not paying attention to what he or she is doing while driving can lead to permanent injury, death, and even lawsuits. A Georgia woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit after her son was seriously injured in a car accident. Just over two years ago, the woman was turning off a highway into a private driveway when a school bus slammed into the rear of the car behind her, pushing that car into the rear of her vehicle. A report did not detail all of the injuries to the woman's son, only that there were several, including traumatic injury to his brain. There was also no mention of the child's present mental and physical condition. The attorney the woman retained has requested a jury trial to determine damages for all…

Many vehicular accidents can be avoided, simply by keeping cars and trucks properly maintained. Some car accidents may be attributed to faulty manufacturing and no recall on the parts involved, but some can be the result of owner irresponsibility for improper care of their vehicle. A car accident involving a loose tire resulted in the death of a Georgia pedestrian. The 22-year-old woman left her house around 9 p.m. to walk her dog. Her family grew concerned when she did not return from a walk that normally took around 20 minutes. When her dog came home without her nearly 45 minutes later, they went to look for her and found her lying on the ground, face-down. Emergency personnel transported her to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced deceased. Police determined the woman had been hit in the head with a tire from a vehicle that had been traveling on the road…