Every day, people buy new vehicles that have evolving entertainment features. There is now standard Bluetooth hands-free calling, but there are also large touchscreen radios with multiple ways to make a selection. Some vehicles have screens larger than the typical laptop screen right on the dash. These screens may help the driver navigate by displaying a large map, but they can also be a giant distraction. Distracted driving can take a seemingly safe and easy drive into a deadly accident in many moments. This happens daily. If you find yourself in a distracted driving accident, the attorneys at Dozier Law want to help you put your life back together. This article will explain more about distracted driving and how your in-car entertainment system may be a large distraction for you. If you are part of a distracted driving accident, we are ready to help you determine your best steps forward.…

Using a cell phone while you operate a vehicle greatly increases the likelihood you will end up in a collision. According to the National Safety Council, you are up to 23 times more likely to end up in a car accident while texting than if you had both eyes on the road. To combat the epidemic of distracted driving taking place around the state, Georgia passed a new law that went into effect on July 1st earlier this year. Here is everything you need to know about the new law, but for the most part, as long as you keep your phone out of the way, you will have nothing to worry about. The Hands-Free Georgia Act This law prohibits motorists from holding a cell phone while a vehicle is in motion. That means they cannot make a call or text with an exception if there was an emergency taking place. You can also hold a…

Drivers across Georgia have likely heard about the new Hands-Free Georgia Act, which goes into effect beginning July first. Other states have implemented similar laws and have seen a 16 percent drop in fatal accidents caused by distracted driving. It is hoped that this new law will have a similar effect in Georgia. This new law prohibits the use of cell phones and other mobile devices while on a roadway. In addition to forbidding people from texting while driving, this law states that drivers are not allowed to be holding their phone in their hands or touching their phone with any other part of their body while driving. It also prohibits all cell phone usage for teenage drivers and forbids all drivers from recording video, with the exception of continuously running dashboard cameras, or watching videos not related to navigation. However, there are some exceptions to this new law. Drivers are…

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration tracks the sources of injuries to bicycle riders, as well as the causes for cyclist fatalities. By far, being hit by a car is the major cause of cyclist injuries or death. The statistics show a slight decline in recent years, but exposure data is far from complete. Unbalanced records According to the NHTSA, 818 people died in bicycle-vehicle accidents in 2015, a 12.2 percent increase from 2014. On the other hand, the number of bicyclists injured went down from 50,000 in 2014 to 45,000 in 2015. This figure is based on actual reports. However, it might be considered an estimate because certain factors are not known. For example, no one knows how far a cyclist travels on a particular outing or how long he or she is exposed to car and truck traffic. Some collisions are not reported. The risk of bike accidents…

There is no disputing just how much of a scourge distracted driving has become on U.S. roads and highways. Indeed, numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that distraction was behind 3,179 crash-related fatalities in 2014 alone and that this dangerous practice actually triples the risk of an accident. While states have taken action to address this issue, with 44 banning texting while driving and a smaller number banning hands-free devices, it's clear that more needs to be done. Interestingly enough, Washington, the first state to implement a texting ban ten years ago, recently saw a new distracted driving law take effect, one that the Governors Highway Safety Association indicated "has the potential to be a game-changer and serve as a model for other states." What does Washington's new distracted driving law do exactly? The new law prohibits non-electronic distractions, such as grooming, eating, having a pet on…

It is a well-known fact that distracted driving is incredibly risky, yet it still causes many of the accidents on the road today. This is partially because of the nature of driving - any task that requires constant attention and vigilance is also going to have operator distraction as a weak point, because the human attention span is finite. At the same time, there are a few key ways you can minimize distraction to add to your personal safety. Types of distraction The first step is to understand the main types of driver distraction. They are: Cognitive Visual Manual Most people are fairly used to handling visual distractions, and vehicles are typically designed to minimize them. It's why many people stream music or podcasts in the car, but very few attempt to watch a movie while they are in the driver's seat. Most visual distractions come from roadside spectacles, including landmarks,…

It can be difficult, at times, to determine the cause of a car collision until after the completion of an accident investigation. Although it might appear as though a driver acted responsibly by obeying the traffic laws, a thorough investigation by the police or by an attorney acting on behalf of a victim suffering a serious injury might disclose evidence to prove the person was a negligent driver. A recent auto accident in which three vehicles were involved appears to have been caused by a driver who obeyed a stop sign. Unfortunately, the individual failed to yield to other traffic in the intersection as he drove away from the stop sign. The result was a three-car accident that sent three people requiring medical treatment to the hospital. According to police, one of the drivers pulled away from a stop sign without maintaining a proper lookout for other vehicles in the…

According to statistics released by the federal government, more than 150 billion text messages are sent each month in this country. It should not come as a surprise that 20 percent of teenagers and 10 percent of adults admitted to engaging in extended text messaging conversations while driving. Georgia has enacted several laws aimed at making highways safer by restricting activities by drivers that put other people at risk of serious injury in an auto accident. For example, school bus drivers in Macon and in other communities are prohibited from using their cellphones for talking or texting while driving. This ban also applies to drivers who are younger than 18 years of age. Drivers 18 years of age and older are prohibited from texting and driving. These cellphone laws are primary violations under state law. As a primary violation, a police officer may stop a motorist who is in violation without…

Driving through the beautiful Georgia countryside can be distracting. The U.S. Department of Transportation cannot control what you are staring at outside your windows. But they do have some influence over what goes into your vehicle. This week they have announced that they want auto manufacturers to consider the time it takes to use devices within the car, and limit that time to no more than two seconds at a glance. The new guidelines would help keep drivers' eyes on the road and not fiddling with buttons and looking at screens. The recommendation comes as distracted driving is being seen as an even greater problem. Cars are coming equipped with more electronic devices, from GPSs and cameras to assist lane changes and backing up, to DVD players and internet-enabled devices that even allow web browsing. With more than 3,000 people dying in car accidents in 2011 related to distracted driving, and…