Car Accidents

Get Your Family to Sign a “No Texting” Pledge

Published on: November 5, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Parents of teen drivers in Georgia should mandate that their children learn the dangers of texting and driving and encourage them to sign a “No Texting Pledge,’ says Alphareeta Accident Lawyer David Van Sant.

Texting while driving requires a lot of attention. It requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, making it is by far the most dangerous distraction to drivers. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the entire length of a football field with your eyes closed. That’s a very scary thought.

Share this information with your teens. Commit to not texting while you drive, and make sure they know it’s against your rules. When your children are away from home, don’t try to reach them by text if you know there is a chance they are in the car. Try not to call them when they are driving either, and don’t talk on your cell phone when your kids are riding with you. This is a rule you can begin to share with even the youngest of kids.

Secure Your Child in a Booster Seat While Driving in Georgia

Published on: October 24, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Atlanta personal injury lawyer David Van Sant is an expert in laws designed to keep drivers safe. As an advocate for children and car accident victims of all ages, he often finds himself speaking with clients about child safety seat requirements.

In 2011 Georgia passed a new booster seat law that requires kids under eight years old to be secured in the back seat of a vehicle on a booster seat with a shoulder belt. The purpose of a booster seat is to raise kids up to a height where the seat belt, which is designed for an adult, fits them correctly.

The state of Georgia passed the law because statistics show that children who use a booster seat are 59% less likely to be injured in the event of an accident.

Football Season May Mean Tailgating, But Drinking & Driving is Out!

Published on: October 23, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

David Van Sant is an Alpharetta Personal Injury Attorney and football fan who says certain times of year definitely are busier in his legal practice. Van Sant works for accident victims, primarily those who have been injured in car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents or multi-vehicle pile-ups. Lately in Georgia there have been numerous accidents involving wrong-way drivers and those who have had too much to drink.

More DUIs During NFL Football Games

With fall football season in full swing, it’s important to recognize that there are times when the chance of meeting a drunk driver on the road are higher. Statistics show that in major cities throughout the United States, there are more DUIs before, during, and immediately after an NFL football game than any other major sport. This doesn’t have to apply to highways and sidestreets near the stadium. Thousands of bars, restaurants and private parties play host to fans and revelers. A drunk driver could be driving anywhere.

Teen Passengers Need Reminder on Rules of the Road

Published on: October 19, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Teenagers are more likely to be injured in a car accident when they have more than one other teenager with them. That’s the news from the National Transportation Safety Board and Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer David Van Sant.

Teen drivers need to be reminded that driving is a privilege, and parents are responsible for laying the ground rules that help to keep their teen drivers and passengers safe.

If you’re the parent of a teen, and your teen doesn’t drive but is frequently a passenger with other teens, remind her of the “passenger safety rules:”

Safe Travel Tips for Business and Personal Use: Atlanta Injury Lawyer

Published on: October 18, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Road trips can be a great way to relieve stress in between longer vacations, and some business travelers are even opting to drive short distances because it’s just easier than flying nowadays. But if you’re taking off on a weekend trip or a sales call out of town,review these safety tips:

Plan ahead. Even if the idea is to do something spontaneous that you plan on a Thursday and do on a Friday, at least find a place to stay before you leave town. It’s not uncommon to go off on a trip only to find that everyone else had the same idea, Read online hotel reviews to make sure you don’t end up on the wrong side of town, and make a hotel reservation in advance.
Map your route. Even if you have a GPS, you should know where you are going. Technology can fail, and you don’t want to be relying on your cell phone GPS in an area without service. And yes, those areas still exist where the answer to, “Can you hear me now?” is “No!

Personal Injury Law is an Evolving Area of Practice

Published on: October 16, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Personal injury law is a vibrant area of law throughout the United States, and new cases and rulings evolve the practice on a regular basis.

If you look up personal injury lawyer on Wikipedia, you’ll read that this is a lawyer who provides legal representation to those who claim to have been injured, physically or psychologically, as a result of the negligence or wrongdoing of another person, company, government agency, or other entity. Thus, personal injury lawyers tend to be especially knowledgeable and have more experience in dealing with cases that involve civil wrongs and economic or non-economic damages to a person’s property, reputation, or rights.

A personal injury lawyer has numerous responsibilities in serving his or her clients. David Van Sant, a personal injury attorney in Alpharetta, says his responsibilities encompass both professional and ethical rules and codes of conduct set forth by the Georgia State Bar Association, which has oversight over lawyers in the state.

Alpharetta Accident Attorney Discusses Accident Reconstruction

Published on: October 10, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

Tractor trailer accidents happen every day in Georgia. Hopefully you’ll never encounter a big rig in a tight situation, but if it happens and you are in an accident with an over-the-road trucker, it’s important to get an attorney involved right away.

We Specialize In Accident Reconstruction

At Van Sant Law we’re experts at accident reconstruction. The service we provide includes a thorough analysis of an accident scenario. It involves working with police records and emergency personnel, the Department of Transportation, and legal teams representing the responsible party.

Understanding the Importance of Evidence Preservation After an Atlanta Truck Accident

Published on: October 10, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

At the Van Sant Law we often are consulted by clients who have been injured in an accident with a tractor trailer.

When you’re in an accident with a commercial truck driver or a transportation company, some new issues come into play. While an accident is an accident, professional truck drivers or large transportation companies may have more on the line than a “regular” driver. This can cause some new concerns to arise.

Why is Evidence Preservation Important?

Uninsured Motorist Coverage Important Feature for Georgia Motorists

Published on: October 3, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

In 2009, the Georgia legislature changed the laws regarding auto insurance, and today there are two types of Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage in the state. They are known as “excess” and “set off.”

The “Excess” policies allow you to select additional insurance that goes above the standard coverage for uninsured motorists with no deduction based on the other driver’s insurance policy. This sort of extra coverage is now not only available in the state, but it is the default coverage for every UM policy written in the state. If you don’t want “excess” coverage, you have to opt out. When you opt out, you might save a little money, but you end up with a “set-off” policy. You probably don’t want that.

Here’s why excess coverage is good: Say you are in an accident with someone who only has minimum liability. They are “underinsured.” Your car is totaled and you incur medical expenses for you and your spouse. Your expenses total $75,000. The underinsured motorist has $25,000, and your UM set-off policy is for $50,000. While it seems to make sense that you would have your $75,000 between the two policies to cover all expenses, the coverage for the underinsured driver is deducted from your coverage, so your $50,000 is reduced to $25,000, and when added to the other driver’s $25,000, you’re still $25,000 short of your expenses. That’s not good.

Should You Provide A Recorded Statement After Atlanta Accident?

Published on: October 2, 2012 | By Van Sant Law

When you are in an accident, chances are you may find it difficult to remember all the details, particularly as time goes on. This is why insurance companies are often the first to call once you’ve submitted an accident report.

While it would be nice to believe that the insurance companies are interested only in our health and well being after an injury accident, chances are they are calling as much to hear your side of the story as to find out if you are okay. This is particularly true when you have been injured as the result of another driver and his/her insurance company is on the line.

Contact An Attorney Before Giving Any Statement