Georgia Truck Accident Lawyers Blog

Traffic analysts believe that nearly 90 million people will be on the road this holiday season, traveling at least 50 miles from their homes to visit relatives or friends.

With Interstate 75 running right through Atlanta, this means that there will also be an abundance of tractor trailers passing through Georgia, delivering goods to retailers throughout the Southeast. And with an increase in trucks, that could mean there will be additional Georgia trucking accidents.

Our Georgia trucking accident lawyers have seen the devastation that accidents involving big rigs can have on families. While many truck drivers take precautions to drive safely, many companies overwork their drivers, which leads to fatigue and the potential for drivers to lose focus and get into an accident.

While everyone realizes the danger that a car-on-car accident can have, a trucking accident is magnified because of the sheer weight and size of these massive vehicles. When they attempt to stop, their loads can shift, making their ability to break even more difficult. Add in bad weather and road conditions and it can be disastrous for drivers.

The National Safety Council has estimated that nearly 300 people will die on the roads between December 23 and December 26 as a result of the expected increase in traffic. Despite an increase in gas prices in recent months, experts believe more Georgians will be hitting the roads this holiday season.

Studies have shown that seat belts are 45 percent effective in helping to prevent fatal accidents. Based on that data, more than 100 lives could be saved during the Christmas holiday if every person wore a safety belt while driving. Some recent fatal statistics during the last few years, as reported by the National Safety Council (year followed by number of fatalities):

2005: 383
2006: 379
2007: 454
2008: 409
2009: 248

While it is encouraging that the number of fatal accidents was down in 2009 from previous years, that's still a large number of people who have died as a result of traffic accidents. It's unclear what percentage of those traffic accidents were a result of large trucks.

Additionally, statistics from the New Year's holiday period during the last few years have increased in recent years:

2005: 449
2006: 432
2007: 387
2008: 407
2009: 458

Truckers are everywhere and drivers would do best to avoid being nearby, if possible. Even just a near contact can cause a trucker to over-correct their steering and cause accidents. Because of their large blind spots, it's also advisable to stay away from those areas where other drivers can't see the drivers in their side-view mirrors.

Let this holiday season be memorable, but not because of a bad trucking accident. Drive safe, wherever your destination and through whichever roads you travel. Adhere to these short tips to avoid being the victim of a Georgia trucking accident.