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 having to first witness another traffic violation such as speeding or failing to signal.
The distracted driver is not the only highway risk to be targeted by state law. A drunk driving accident can cause an innocent driver or passenger in another vehicle to suffer a serious injury or die because of the actions of a drunk driver. Penalties the state may impose on a motorist convicted of a first offense drunk driving charge now include a one-year suspension of the person’s license to drive.
Regardless of the measures taken by the government to curtail unsafe driving behavior, a serious injury suffered in a car accident will continue to be a common occurrence. If you are injured in a car accident with a negligent driver, a Macon personal injury law firm can assist you to understand your right to compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, and the other damages you incurred.
