Now that we are a few months into the school year, kids and parents alike are starting to become accustomed to their new routine, including homework, extracurriculars, and, of course, start times and dismissal times. Regardless of the chosen method of getting to and from school, there's a very good chance that kids will at some point have to cross a street, a parking lot, or a dedicated one-way drop-off/pick-up lane. In light of this reality, both students and parents alike will likely want to take note of some rather sobering figures on pedestrian accidents from the child advocacy organization Safe Kids Worldwide. According to Safe Kids Worldwide: 284 teens ranging in age from 12 to 19 were killed in pedestrian accidents in the U.S. in 2015, which averaged out to roughly five fatalities per week and a 13 percent increase from 2013. Teens ranging in age from 15 to…

Truckers face a unique set of risks when they go to work each day. Not only are they driving massive vehicles across long distances and along busy highways, but they also are required to do heavy lifting as they unload and reload trailers. As a result, there's always been a higher number of Central Georgia trucker injuries than in other careers and professions in the state. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that truckers suffer among the highest number of nonfatal injuries and work-related illnesses in the U.S. As a result, workers' compensation is likely to be something they need at some point during their career, and it's critical that they work with an expert legal professional in order to get their claims approved. Facts to Know About Workplace Safety for Truck Drivers The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently revealed data that proves that truckers are at a high risk of injuries while on the job.…

Fatal accidents are always tragic, leaving families without their treasured loved ones. Unfortunately, fatal accidents often leave families with more than emotional damages; they leave them with financial uncertainties. If your family has suffered a loss because of another person's negligence, you may find relief from your unexpected financial burdens in the form of wrongful death compensation. Families who lose a loved one to an accident face unexpected end-of-life expenses. Between a loved one's medical bills and funeral expenses, many families find themselves totally unprepared financially. Unfortunately, even when families can pay these expenses, the financial losses tied to the death of a loved one are not over. Many families suffer financially for years from the loss of a loved one. In many cases, this suffering is due to lost income, especially when the deceased victim was the breadwinner. In these cases, wrongful death compensation can be extremely important as…

"Dram shop" laws in Georgia and elsewhere in the United States pertain to the legal duty of the owner of an establishment that serves alcohol to stop serving liquor to a customer who shows signs of intoxication, with the purpose of reducing incidents of people drinking and driving. In the majority of these cases, if a person who is injured in a drunk driving-related accident sues such an establishment, the management and the intoxicated customer will be different people. But a recent incident in Atlanta shows that this distinction is not always the case. The family of a motorcyclist who died when he was involved in an accident with an allegedly drunk driver is suing multiple defendants, beginning with the manager of the restaurant where the alleged drunk driver -- who also happened to be the manager himself -- as well as the company that owns the restaurant chain and…

Three people were injured in a collision in Mitchell County on December 25. The driver of one of the vehicles involved in the crash was charged with driving under the influence in relation to the incident. According to the Georgia State Patrol, the car accident occurred at about 12 p.m. at the intersection of GA 112 and GA 262 near the Grady-Mitchell County line. A vehicle driven by a 40-year-old woman, traveling south on GA 112, stopped to yield to oncoming traffic while attempting to make a left turn onto 262. Another vehicle, driven by a 27-year-old man traveling north on GA 112, crossed the center line and collided head-on with the woman's vehicle. The female driver and her 81-year-old female passenger were transported to a local Thomasville hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The male driver suffered only minor injuries. He was transported to a hospital in Camilla for treatment. Besides…

A multi-vehicle traffic accident on the evening of Nov. 6 left one woman dead and another person injured in Dougherty County. A third man involved in the collision received a traffic citation and may face additional criminal charges related to the fatal crash as well. According to information released by investigators with the Dougherty County Police, the three-car accident occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of Liberty Expressway and Holly Drive in Albany. Witnesses claim the 43-year-old Mitchell County woman driving a black Volkswagen Beetle was stopped at a red light when her vehicle was rear-ended by a red van driven by a 72-year-old Montgomery County man. The force of the impact then caused the Volkswagen to strike another black vehicle in front of it driven by a 34-year-old Ocklocknee's Ford woman. Bystanders rushed to assist the victims, pulling the 34-year-old woman from her vehicle, but they found…

Georgia residents might be interested in figures released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding crashes in 2012 that involved large trucks. Fatalities stemming from these accidents increased by 4 percent over the previous year, with 3,781 deaths in total, reportedly. Among the 1,688 vehicles involved in fatal crashes in Georgia during that same year, 149 of them were large trucks or about 9 percent. Research reveals that 81 percent of fatal accidents involving semi-trucks include multiple vehicles, whereas 58 percent of fatal crashes involving no semi-trucks are multiple-vehicle accidents. Researchers say that, with regard to fatal collisions in 2012 involving a semi-truck, at least one of the involved vehicles was attempting to negotiate a curve in 12 percent of them. In 9 percent of these wrecks, both vehicles were making a turn, and neither vehicle was attempting a turn in almost half of them. According to statistics, almost…

A 50-year-old woman is dead and a 43-year-old man faces criminal charges after a two-vehicle accident in Richmond County on July 17. According to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office, the fatal car accident occurred around 7 p.m. when the man's vehicle, a red Dodge Magnum, struck the woman's Suzuki Grand Vitara as she attempted to turn from Faircrest Avenue onto Peach Orchard Road. Deputies reported that the man was speeding prior to the crash. An ambulance transported the victim to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead at approximately 7:42 p.m. An autopsy was performed the following day in Atlanta. Law enforcement officials charged the driver of the Dodge with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and driving under the influence. Deputies said that witnesses told them he may have been racing when the accident happened. The news source did not report the level at which his blood alcohol content…

Two people were killed and two others were injured in a motor vehicle accident that occurred in Georgia, near the Tennessee border, on the morning of July 11. Investigators say a Ford Mustang headed west on Interstate 24 drove into the median, slid sideways, and collided with a vehicle in the eastbound lanes. The impact caused the Mustang to strike two other vehicles, one of which flipped. While speaking with local media, a trooper with the Georgia State Patrol said he suspected the crash took place at 'interstate speeds." All four vehicles involved in the wreck contained a single occupant. Investigators are still uncertain what caused the driver of the Mustang, a woman from Wisconsin, to drive across the median. She reportedly had a cellphone in her hand as her body was extricated from the Mustang. Several motorists stopped got out of their vehicles to call 911 or offer assistance…

With the memory of the winter storm that paralyzed Atlanta fresh in their minds, Georgia's Governor and other officials presented a plan to deal with the winter weather that is expected over the next few days in Northern Georgia, including a mix of rain, snow, and ice. The January winter storm caused horrific traffic jams throughout the metro area, triggered numerous car accidents across the South, stranded hundreds of students in their classrooms, and left thousands of commuters stuck on the road as the storm passed. The governor noted that it was important to avoid an overreaction, as that could have an "economic impact," just the same as an under-reaction. Nonetheless, when you consider traveling in winter weather, especially if ice is in the forecast, think about the economic impact on your bank account of even the most minor of car accidents. Say, you decide to risk driving to work on…