In Union City, three people lost their lives and four more suffered injuries after a recent crash involving a van and a police car. Purportedly, the officer was in pursuit of a stolen car when the car accident occurred. The collision caused both vehicles to catch fire. The collision occurred on Jonesboro Road on the night of Sunday, Nov. 11. According to the Georgia State Police, the officer started chasing the suspected stolen car on Highway 138. Purportedly, a white work van carrying six occupants then attempted to enter the highway by making a left-hand turn. At this point, the police cruiser collided with the van, knocking it on its side, before both vehicles burst into flames. Although the accident is still under investigation, no details were given in the report as to whether the officer had his emergency lights or siren on as he was pursuing the stolen vehicle. The…

Vehicular accidents do not only happen within the confines of the vehicle. Pedestrians or bystanders on the side of the road are at risk when a driver's negligence causes a car accident. A former member of the police department of a Georgia town recently pleaded guilty after causing a car accident that injured an 18-year-old man and killed his 16-year-old cousin as they were occupying a part of a sidewalk. In his duty as a police officer, the man was responding to the call of an accident, driving at a speed close to 100 mph. He pulled over to the center lane in an effort to pass a car just ahead of him, but that car also pulled into the center lane in an effort to get out of the way of the police car. As the officer swerved to avoid crashing into the car, he lost control of his patrol…

With overly aggressive drivers, drivers who have been drinking, and drivers who are distracted -- whether by cell phones or other factors -- people are injured in wrecks every day. While the use of a seat belt is a legal requirement, it may not always be enough to escape severe injury in a car accident. After a recent car accident, a 5-year-old child has been admitted into a Georgia hospital, with his condition listed as critical. Police reports state a driver approached an intersection and hit a car that was stopped for a red light, causing that car to hit another vehicle. The driver kept going through the intersection, hitting yet another vehicle. The injured child was not responsive when found, and witnesses to the collisions were able to start CPR before an ambulance reached the scene. The driver responsible for the collisions left her vehicle and began running in…

Hundreds of news sources all over the country have daily reports of vehicular accidents. Sometimes an SUV, 18-wheeler, or car accident may just be a fender-bender with minor or no injuries. But another can be catastrophic, adversely impacting a number of people. A Georgia woman died in a recent car accident, and the person believed responsible has been arrested. The 41-year-old woman was just one of several passengers in a car as it was traveling on Interstate 85. A report stated the driver of the car lost control of the vehicle when she was changing lanes ahead of a semitrailer. The car came to a stop in a lane of traffic and was struck by the tractor-trailer. The truck driver tried to stop but was unable to avoid hitting the door on the rear passenger side. The impact of the collision killed the woman and injured three other passengers. All…

School buses are an invaluable mode of transportation for parents who, for any reason, are not able to ferry their children to and from school each day. One group of Georgia parents have filed a lawsuit after seven children were injured in a crash allegedly caused by reckless driving. The bus' video recording system showed the driver possibly displayed reckless driving tendencies in a timeline of events just before the crash. According to the video timeline, the bus driver hit a mailbox, swerved into the oncoming traffic lane, and increased his speed, all while driving with one hand, holding a cup between his legs, and not wearing his seat belt -- all in the span of 11 minutes. The video cuts off before the actual crash but does show that, because the driver was not wearing his seat belt, he slid off the seat and was not able to control the…

There are many hazards on the road that drivers cannot control, like weather or construction. However, many accidents are not caused by hazards like these. They are caused by distracted driving. One such accident caused the death of a Georgia county sheriff officer's grandchild. The four-year-old girl died in an accident that occurred earlier this month. She was in the car with her mother and younger brother when the car was struck from behind by another vehicle. When authorities arrived on the scene, which included the child's grandfather, the little girl was pulled from the vehicle and CPR was administered. After the accident, the driver of the second vehicle told authorities that he had dropped a bottle and his phone into the floorboard of his car and was attempting to reach for them when he crashed into the vehicle carrying the mother and her children. Unfortunately, the child did not…

A significant number of people have broken what they may consider being a minor traffic law, such as running a stop sign. However, these seemingly minor or insignificant traffic laws are in place to help prevent potentially deadly crashes. Georgia authorities recently responded to a car accident which resulted in not just one, but four deaths as well as several injuries. This accident occurred between a pickup truck and a smaller car, both of which contained multiple passengers. The driver of the car reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with the pickup truck. A total of seven people were either injured or killed in the crash. Three were riding in the truck and the other four, including a six-year-old boy, were riding in the car. All four passengers of the car, including the child, were killed in the crash. The three truck passengers suffered minor injuries. They were transported to…

Let us say that you were at an intersection with a four-way stop. It was your turn to proceed when, out of nowhere, a pickup truck sped through the stop sign and smashed into your car. Your airbags deployed, but you still suffered serious injuries. You are facing a long recovery and weeks of rehabilitation. Why did this have to happen? Dangers Speeding endangers the perpetrator of this activity as well as other nearby motorists. According to statistics gathered by the National Highway Transportation Safety Association, speeding has been a major cause of roadway fatalities in our country for more than 20 years, a contributing factor in about a third of those deaths. Motivations Many drivers who are going faster than they should are simply running late. Most working people, especially, have busy schedules and try to cram too much into their 10- or 12-hour day. They jump in the car…

Intersections are dangerous. When drivers are not fully aware of their surroundings, accidents are more likely to occur. The Georgia State Patrol responded to a recent car accident that caused multiple injuries. The accident occurred when an SUV turning left onto U.S. 411 collided with a westbound pickup truck. Reports say that the SUV had pulled in front of the oncoming truck, causing the collision. The truck rolled to a stop near the median, while the SUV rolled down an embankment. Part of the highway was temporarily closed while paramedics and state troopers accessed the scene. Both drivers were extricated from their vehicles by emergency personnel after the crash. A passenger and the driver were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The seriously-injured driver of the SUV was airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Authorities reported that his injuries were life-threatening. Entering and exiting major roadways is dangerous under any circumstances, but particularly…

It's tragic when anyone is killed or seriously injured in a car crash, particularly if the victim is a small child. These crashes might happen for a number of different reasons. Drivers may be distracted, trying to avoid another hazard, or simply taking a turn too wide or too close to another vehicle. Earlier this month Georgia authorities responded to a car accident that resulted in the deaths of two adults and the serious injury of a baby. The crash occurred at about 8:20 a.m. The two vehicles, a sedan and a truck, were traveling north and south respectively when witnesses say the sedan cross over the middle line. The two vehicles collided head-on, causing significant damage to the front of both vehicles. Both drivers suffered fatal injuries in the crash. The driver of the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene and the 10-month-old baby traveling with her suffered serious…