Personal Injury Law Blog

GEORGIA - Georgia falls somewhere in the middle when it comes to drunk driving rates, according to Patch.com. A recent study conducted by a drug testing company looked at and reviewed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine which states have the highest numbers of impaired drivers.*

GEORGIA- Walb.com writes that the Georgia State Police are telling drivers across the state to stop using their phones and to slow down. Police spoke out following a fatal collision that took the life of a woman from Florida on Interstate 75.*

TN- Ctmirror.org writes that while statistically, school buses are the safest way for students to get to and from school, drunk or otherwise impaired drivers operate these vehicles more often than most people realize.*

ATLANTA, GA- Ajc.com writes that traffic signals in Atlanta are being technologically upgraded. The city currently has 400 “smart” signals helping to control the city traffic. Smart traffic signals are those that can communicate with cars and apps in order to increase efficient traffic patterns and keep drivers safer on the road. Now, Atlanta will be installing another 1,000 of these devices.*

NEWNAN, GA- 11alive.com writes that a student from the University of Georgia was injured in a head-on crash over the weekend with a driver who then fled the scene. The driver who struck the student is now in custody after police were able to use traffic cameras to identify the vehicle.*

USA-  Passengers riding in the back of ride-sharing vehicles often fail to use their seatbelts, according to NORTHWESTGEORGIA.COM. One driver who works for Uber stated that front seat passengers often use their seatbelt and that if they do not, he will remind them to do so. In the back of his vehicle, however, he estimates about 70-80 percent of passengers neglect to wear their safety belt. The driver said that if children are in the vehicle, he will comment and ask them to fasten the belt, but other times the passengers will ride unrestrained.*

USA- Apple issued a recall of 15 inch Macbook Pro laptops over concerns that the batteries may cause a risk of fires, according to ABC15.com.  Other manufacturers, including Toshiba, Sony, and HP, also issued recalls following consumer complaints about injuries and damage caused by these devices.* 

SALT LAKE CITY, UT- Breitbart.com writes that a severe collision occurred in Salt Lake City after a Tesla went through a red light at an intersection in Salt Lake City. Three people suffered critical injuries in the accident and the resulting car fire. It is not yet known whether the vehicle’s autopilot was engaged when the incident took place.*

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, determined that in 2018, 9,378 people tragically died in motor vehicle crashes caused by speeding.  In 2017, speeding was a contributing factor in 26 percent of all traffic fatalities.  Speeding, along with drunk driving and distracted driving, are the most dangerous behaviors on the road that are also the easiest to avoid. The NHTSA points out that speeding endangers everyone on the roadway, not just the passengers in the speeding car. *

JACKSONVILLE, FL- News4jax.com writes that a boy tragically died in a horrific crash that took place on Highway 301 earlier this week. The incident occurred when an eastbound tractor-trailer crossed over the centerline in the roadway and slid into the westbound lanes. Reports indicate that the truck flipped onto its side and hit the Honda van in which the boy and his mother were traveling.*

A recent study indicates that drugs and alcohol contribute to a large number of fatal vehicle accidents in South Carolina. The study, conducted by alcohol.org, shows that South Carolina has one of the highest fatal drunk driving crash rates in the United States.

GEORGIA-  Driverless cars are coming to Georgia, according to GOVERNING.COM. A portion of the state’s Interstate 85 will be used to test autonomous vehicles. The relevant part of the interstate is named The Ray, and private companies such as 3M and Panasonic are now partnering with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) in a project that will bring “refractive bead technology” to the state.*

SAVANNAH, GA - The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is placing HAWK signals at three locations all on Bay Street. The new devices will be in place by mid-January.*

The number of deadly traffic accidents involving motorcyclists rose in South Carolina in 2019, according to data from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. The reasons for the increase are varied, but many officials and motorcycle advocates say distracted and inattentive driving played major roles.

Reducing speed and eliminating distractions are key to avoiding serious car crashes, according to law enforcement officials in South Carolina. Officials also say that wearing a seat belt is still one of the easiest ways to keep yourself safe on the roads.

North Carolina recorded numerous cases of vaping-related lung illness in 2019, part of a rash of documented cases that swept the country in the later part of the year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to investigate the illness, which has been tied to the use of e-cigarettes and vape pens.

SAVANNAH, GA- Wsav.com writes that speeding kills more teens in Georgia than anything else, and that about 9,000 people die across the country every year because of speeding vehicles.*

The construction of roundabouts at several intersections in South Carolina has improved safety and reduced the number of vehicle accidents at those locations. The South Carolina Department of Transportation is considering placing roundabouts at other intersections, based on the success of those currently in use.

USA - Three collisions involving Tesla vehicles occurred causing three fatalities and leading to public scrutiny over the company’s self-driving Autopilot technology, according to ABC7.com.  Tesla is set to roll out fully autonomous vehicles later this year.*

Lafayette, LA- Ksla.com writes that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) completed its initial report regarding the tragic plane crash that killed five people late last month in Lafayette. The plane was en route to Atlanta, Georgia, but it crashed not long after taking off.*