Georgia Truck Accident Lawyers Blog

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and give thanks for the many blessings you have been given in our life. Most Thanksgiving Day traditions involve several generations of family gathering around the table for turkey, stuffing and all the fixings. For this reason, Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous travel days or holiday weekends of the year as many motorists are required to travel to get to their loved ones and family.

Georgia trucking accident attorneys know that roadways will be more congested around the holidays so we hope that motorists use extra caution on Thanksgiving Day and throughout the weekend to reduce the chances of being involved in a car or trucking accident in Atlanta or elsewhere.

Many travelers may be coming to Georgia from out-of-state which can make roadways more dangerous for a driver who is unfamiliar with the area. When a car or truck driver doesn't know the area, making a wrong turn onto a street or roadway that only goes one direction can create a potentially dangerous situation.

A multiple vehicle crash on I-85 north of Atlanta recently is a good example of how going the wrong way on a roadway can lead to serious injury. A woman driving a Ford Explorer was allegedly going the wrong direction when she clipped an 18-wheeler. The impact with the first large truck caused her to hit another tractor-trailer and Chevrolet van before being thrown from her SUV. The alleged wrong-way driver of the Ford Explorer was seriously injured from the crash but authorities reported no other injuries from the accident. Hazmat crews had to report to the scene as one of the trucks involved in the accident spilled fuel.

In order to avoid an accident with a large truck or car this Thanksgiving, American Trucking Association's professional drivers offer the following highway safety tips:

-Maintain a safe travel speed. More vehicles on the roadway require operating at a lower speed to avoid contact with a large truck other passenger vehicle that slows or stops without warning.

-Rather than winging it if you don't have a GPS device in your vehicle, plan your trip mile by mile before you leave. Know your exit name and number, watch for traffic signs well in advance, familiarize yourself with street names, and pull over to read a map if you get lost.

-Don't be distracted by everything going on around you. Keep your eyes and mental focus on the road at all times.

-The only way to limit the chances of being late to dinner is to leave plenty early. Allowing extra travel time takes the stress of arriving late out play and allows families to enjoy the ride.

-If you don't have an emergency kit in your vehicle, prepare one for the trip. Include items like a flashlight, first-aid kit, jumper cables, tire repair kit, blankets and bottled water.

-Check the 5-day weather forecast the week before your trip so you know what weather conditions to expect. Make adjustments in your travel plans if poor conditions are predict.

-If you feel a little drowsy after you stuff yourself with turkey, take a nap before you drive or have someone else get behind the wheel until you feel rested.

Continue reading " Heightened Thanksgiving Day Travel Increases Risks of Georgia Car and Trucking Accidents " »

With winter weather just about upon us and the holidays fast approaching, it is a good time for our Atlanta trucking accident lawyers to remind motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists to use a little more caution to avoid an accident. You may begin to notice roadways becoming slicker with morning frosts and icy conditions or a little more congested with holiday shoppers and travelers.

We especially urge you to use more caution around big rigs to avoid a tractor-trailer accident in Georgia. Becoming entwined with these big and powerful 18-wheelers doesn't usually end well for drivers, bicyclists or pedestrians.

Two separate incidents that occurred recently remind us of the dangers when a motorist makes impact with a tractor-trailer. AccessNorthGa.com recently reported of an early morning collision when a car became wedged underneath a semi. The driver of the car was trapped inside and had to be taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for treatment of severe injuries.

A second accident turned fatal when a driver of a 2008 Kia Optima in Worth County failed to stop at a stop sign. Fox 31 online reports a 68-year-old female had to be rushed to Phoebe Putney Hospital after colliding with a flatbed truck on Highway 300. The driver ran a stop sign, but the approaching truck could not swerve in time to miss broadside contact with the Optima. Georgia State Police confirmed the passenger car driver was under the influence at the time of the accident. The woman was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Road Safe America offers these driver safety tips:

Passenger car drivers

-Whatever you do, stay out of a truck's blind spots. A trucker can't avoid a collision if you are riding where the driver can't see you.

-Allow four to six seconds of space between you and semi-truck in wet or icy conditions or at high rates of speed.

-When using a turn signal, wait for a tractor-trailer to make their turn before passing. Large trucks require more space to turn corners so you don't want to block their path by trying to go around them.

-If you see a truck driver driving erratically or recklessly, report them to authorities immediately.

Tractor-trailer drivers

-Never get behind the wheel if you are feeling drowsy. Eat right, stay fit and get plenty of rest.

-A third of work zone injuries are caused by large trucks driving too fast through construction zones. Slow down and move over.

-Check brakes regularly to avoid accidents from brake malfunctions. A common out-of-service violation for large trucks is brake defects.

-Drive defensively, not aggressively. If an aggressive driver approaches you on the roadway, let them go. Never engage in aggressive acts with other motorists.

Reduce the risk of severe injury or death by using caution and staying focused on the roadway every time you get behind the wheel.

Continue reading " Drunk Driver Killed in Georgia Trucking Accident Serves as Reminder to Avoid a Truck Collision in Atlanta, Elsewhere " »

The National Sleep Foundation and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety have joined forces for this year's Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, educating the public on ways to reduce the risks of fatigue-related car accidents in Atlanta and elsewhere. The 2011 campaign is taking place this week through Saturday.

Our Atlanta trucking accident attorneys understand that truck driver fatigue has been a popular conversation topic among safe driving advocates in recent months. Trucking accidents overall kill more than 5,000 people ever year and injure about 150,000. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that there were more than 750 fatalities and another 20,000 injuries resulting from accidents with fatigued truckers. Unfortunately, it happens all too often. A driver of a commercial truck gets sleepy at the wheel because he or she has worked too many hours and hasn't slept enough.

To help raise awareness about this dangerous driving habit, AAA released its findings regarding drowsy driving from a recent study, according to CBS Atlanta. The study concluded that although more than 95 percent of surveyed drivers said that drowsy driving was completely unacceptable, about a third of all drivers were still guilty of the dangerous habit.

Drowsy driving can produce fatal consequences, especially when a large truck is involved. Fatigued drivers are reportedly involved in one out of every six deadly accidents. Sleepy drivers are among the top contributors to trucking accidents in the U.S., contributing to nearly 15 percent of all fatal trucking accidents.

More than 40 percent of drivers who were surveyed by AAA admitted to having fallen asleep behind the wheel at least once. What's alarming is that a majority of these drivers fell asleep while they were driving at high speeds.

"Drivers have a tendency to underestimate the impact being tired has on their driving ability, which puts themselves and others at risk," said AAA Foundation president and CEO Peter Kissinger.

You may be getting sleepy at the wheel if you are having trouble focusing on the road, you are swerving in and out of your lane, you can't clearly remember the last few miles driven, you're yawning excessively, feeling irritable, restless or aggressive, or overlooking traffic lights, for instance.

How to prevent drowsy driving:

-Get at least seven hours of sleep before you head out on a long trip.

-Take a break every two hours or every 100 miles.

-Travel with a passenger. Switch drivers when you start to feel sleepy.

-Never drive during times that you'd normally be sleeping.

Remember that one of the worst things you can do behind the wheel if you feel sleepy is to try to power through it. If you start feeling tired, the best thing to do is pull over in a safe spot and rest.

Continue reading " Drowsy Driving Prevention Week Aims to Curb Fatigue-Related Trucking Accidents in Georgia and Elsewhere " »

Bus operators throughout the country have been under scrutiny recently after a rash of accidents that have injured and killed passengers. Since March 2011, there have been 22 deaths and another 159 injuries as a result of five curbside motorcoach bus accidents. Charter companies that require drivers to work extended hours or operate buses with mechanical malfunctions can lead to a high risk of bus accidents in Georgia and elsewhere in the country.

Our Atlanta bus accident attorneys want you to be aware that whether you're taking a quick bus trip across town or out for a day of holiday shopping, there are certain risks with the transportation you choose.

Following a tragic bus accident in Bronx, N.Y., last March that killed 15 people and injured several more, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) decided to take a closer look at safety issues concerning low-cost curbside buses. What they discovered was that more expensive conventional buses are seven times less likely to be involved in a fatal crash compared to curbside bus transportation. This is one instance where saving a few bucks on bus fares may not be worth the risk you are taking in the long run.

The fast-growing economical bus transportation option has grown at a pace that can't be matched by federal authorities. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been unable to keep up with safety inspections of every bus. That's understandable when you consider the fact that each inspector is responsible for inspecting about 1,000 vehicles.

The Wall Street Journal reports curbside buses, like those used in the Chinatown neighborhood of New York City, don't operate through bus terminals but rather pick up passengers curbside. This allows operators to lower fares for customers because they don't pay terminal fees like conventional bus operators do.

Safety violations, such as driver fatigue is a growing concern. From January 2005 to March 2011, the NTSB found that more than 16 curbside buses out of 100 were removed from service for driver fatigue. Conventional buses were taken out of service at a rate of 11.2 per 100 buses for the same reason. Overworked bus drivers for extended periods of time can become drowsy and put passengers at risk. Curbside buses also reported an unsafe driving violation rate of 22.4 incidents per 100 buses.

Curbside bus carriers should be under high scrutiny with statistics like these. It is up to FMCSA, NTSB and other federal officials to keep low-cost companies honest and above board with daily operations to ensure passenger safety today and in the future.

"The NTSB study has revealed important information about curbside motorcoach travel and, in the coming weeks, we'll need to continue working to improve the safety regulations that govern this growing industry," said Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY).

Continue reading " Curbside Buses More of a Danger Than Conventional Buses in Georgia and Elsewhere " »