Atlanta Car Accident Attorneys Discuss Breakdown Safety
Having your car break down can be horribly inconvenient. It can also be incredibly dangerous. Keeping yourself and your passengers safe in the event your vehicle becomes disabled is of vital importance. There are steps you can take to protect yourself and your passengers in the event your car breaks down. Knowing what to do in advance will help you avoid dangerous and life-threatening situations.
Unfortunately, a Georgia man lost his life on I-75 in late March of 2017 after his car broke down and was hit by a touring bus. The accident occurred at Exit 216 around 4:20 a.m. Witnesses say that the 25-year-old Milledgeville man's car stopped in the right-hand lane and did not have the car's flashers activated. The car's brake lights were illuminated at the time of the crash. Witnesses called law enforcement to advise them of the disabled car in the right lane. Within a couple of minutes after the police received the first emergency call, a touring bus slammed into the back of the disabled car and pushed it across the highway into the left-hand breakdown lane. Soon, the bus and the car were engulfed in flames. The bus driver suffered minor injuries. Tragically, firefighters found the 25-year-old man in his vehicle after they extinguished the fire. Law enforcement officers indicated that they would not seek any charges against the bus driver.
Investigators may never learn why the car stopped in the right travel lane. It is a tragedy that the deceased driver could not pull his car into the breakdown lane. Motorists must be aware that they must do whatever they can to get their car into the safest area possible if they have broken down on the highway. Panic can set it because of the obvious danger present. You must do what you can to stay calm, especially if you experience trouble at high speeds.
Here are a few tips, recommended by AAA, to keep in mind if you experience a vehicle problem on an Interstate or highway.
- You should engage their emergency flashers and slow down at the first sign of trouble.
- If you are not in the right-hand lane when you experience trouble, move over immediately, but do so safely. However, if your car cannot move, do not try to push it onto the side of the road. Exit the car and get away from it. Safely try to give other motorists as much notice as you can that a problem lies ahead.
- Do not slam on the brakes if you suddenly experience difficulty. You can slow down quickly, but you will need to have enough momentum to get over. Moreover, slamming on the brakes can cause a loss of control.
- Get over to the breakdown lane if there is one. Move onto the soft shoulder if there is no breakdown lane.
- Getting out of the car may be hazardous. If you do exit your vehicle, never stand behind or in front of it. Do not stand in the road. The safest place is on the opposite side of a guard rail if one is present.
- If at night, grab a flashlight or use the light on a cellphone to increase your visibility.
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If you have been injured in any accident caused by negligence, call Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law for your free consultation today. Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over 39 years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.
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Sources:
http://exchange.aaa.com/safety/roadway-safety/road-safety-tips/
http://www.ajc.com/news/local/bus-hits-broken-down-car-kills-year-old/XSd1OSc6tCreRR4DVaYgQJ/
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