Any car accident has the potential to cause injury or death, but crashes involving three or more vehicles can be particularly devastating.
Known as multi-vehicle accidents or pile-ups, these dangerous collisions are often the result of a chain reaction, such as:
Getting a driver’s license may be a rite of passage for teenagers but for parents, it’s often a major cause for concern—and for good reason. Not only are teen drivers less experienced than other motorists, but they’re also more likely to text behind the wheel or engage in other distracted driving behaviors that can result in devastating crashes.
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States.
Though statistics like these can be chilling, if your teen is approaching driving age, you can take comfort in the fact that Georgia’s Teenage & Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA) graduated licensing system provides plenty of time for them to hone their safe driving skills. Under TADRA, teens must complete an intensive, three-step process to receive an unrestricted license. The steps are as follows:
Texting is considered particularly risky, as it combines manual, cognitive, and visual distractions. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, texting or talking on a cell phone leads to as many as 1.6 million car accidents and more than 4,600 deaths each year.
Georgia is one of several states with a legislature that’s stepped up to combat cell phone-related distracted driving accidents, injuries, and deaths. The state banned texting while driving in 2010 and the legislature passed the Hands-Free Georgia Act in 2018. The law makes it illegal for drivers to hold their cell phone or use any body part to support it while piloting the vehicle.
Distracted driving endangers everyone on the road and, while all behind-the-wheel distractions are risky, texting while driving takes the cake for being the most dangerous. Why? Because it combines the three main types of driver distractions:
As more people rely on GPS navigation while driving, accidents and injuries involving this technology are becoming common.
Though GPS often helps drivers successfully find their way from Point A to Point B, these popular devices and apps are dangerous distractions—especially when the driver disables navigational voice commands or attempts to input information without pulling over.
In some cases, outdated maps may cause GPS programs to direct drivers to unsafe or otherwise unsuitable roads and terrain. Motorists who place their trust entirely in a GPS device or app—regardless of what common sense or current road and weather conditions dictate—can cause serious car accidents and injuries.
After a car crash, it’s standard practice for an adjuster from the
at-fault party’s insurance company to contact victims to ask for a recorded statement.
Insurance adjusters often request these question-and-answer sessions just days after the accident, usually under the guise of expediting the victim’s claim or giving them an opportunity to tell their side of the story.
Both Audi and the driver who rear-ended the family vehicle were found responsible, but Audi was considered to be the most at fault because of the problem with the vehicle that resulted in the seat collapsing to the back.
In situations where there is a defect in a vehicle that causes or contributes to an injury, car makers can be held liable under strict liability rules, even without proving negligence. An Atlanta defective product lawyer can help victims to pursue a case for compensation from car manufacturers and from other manufacturers of defective products.
Since DUI license suspensions are supposed to make the roads safer, it may come as a surprise that Mothers Against Drunk Driving is in support of one city’s plan to eliminate an automatic 30-day suspension for impaired motorists. There are multiple arguments being made as to why this automatic suspension should be lifted, but the key is that it would instead be replaced by a requirement that DUI-offenders have ignition interlock devices installed in their vehicles.
Developing effective ways to prevent DUI accidents is essential, regardless of the specific methods used. Those who are hurt or who lose loved ones in drunk driving accidents face tremendous loss. An Atlanta drunk driving accident lawyer at Van Sant Law, LLC can provide legal representation to victims and help them to recover compensation for both economic and non-monetary damages.
Auto collisions resulting in bodily injuries or fatalities are expensive. Never forget that €“ despite their promises to take care of you should the worst happen €“ insurance companies are a business. They exist to make a profit. Any claim against them is a loss. Even if you’ve had an easy time recovering compensation for a property damage claim in the past, it is worth remembering that insurance companies expect to take some losses €“ after all, that is the nature of the business they are in.
A personal injury or wrongful death claim on the other hand represents a substantial loss compared to smaller property damage claims. It is far more expensive to reimburse someone for their medical care, lost wages and other accident-related costs than it is to fix or replace a damaged vehicle. As a result, you will find it is often impossible to recover adequate compensation in an automobile accident case without the aid of an Atlanta car accident attorney.
Passengers depend on drivers to avoid accidents, and can pursue claims when crashes happen. Unfortunately, passengers are at serious risk of an injury when a collision happens, especially if those passengers are not wearing their seat belts at the time the accident occurs. Governors' Highway Safety Association just recently published a comprehensive report recently highlighting the dangers that back seat passengers face when unbuckled. The report shows how many people in the backs of cars aren't wearing belts and are experiencing traumatic injury as a result. 
If you are a passenger in a car and an accident happens, it is important to understand how to get your injury costs covered. You can pursue a claim for compensation for losses, regardless of whether or not you had a seat belt on, but you must understand what your rights are and how to make your case. An Atlanta car accident lawyer can help you.
Georgia Personal Injury Lawyer Blog