Articles Posted in Car Accidents

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), frontal air bags are credited with saving 13,967 lives between 1987 and 2003. As a result of their effectiveness and generally positive publicity, air bags have been embraced by auto manufacturers and consumers alike.

Today automotive designers have come up with additional types of airbags that add to the safety of a vehicle. Many automakers now offer side, side-curtain, and rear air bags in addition to the typical frontal air bags. In fact, many new models have six or more air bags as standard safety equipment, mounted in the steering wheel, dashboard, seats, headliner, and even the window sills.

The problem arises in the back seat, and even in mini-vans and SUVs that were designed for carrying seven or even eight passengers. These vehicles, while great for family travel, may not be equipped with enough safety features to keep your precious cargo (your kids and their friends) out of harm’s way in the event of a side impact collision.

Approaching A Car Accident Deposition

If you are involved in a car accident and are working with an attorney, chances are the opposing attorney or the attorney for the defendant will request a deposition. A deposition is an interview that may at first glance seem informal, but in fact, it is not.

A deposition should be approached as though you are answering questions in front of a judge or jury. Even if the meeting is being held at a law office or in a conference room, treat the experience as though you are in court. Your attorney will instruct you as to the appropriate way to conduct yourself and may run through the expected questions to give you a chance to practice your answers. It is important when being deposed that you answer truthfully, but you also should never speculate or make assumptions about what “might have happened.”

It took nearly four hours to clear the wreckage and complete an investigation into a fatal accident on Highway 285 earlier this week, and that had thousands of stranded motorists sitting frustrated on the highway with nowhere to go.

The accident, which was a one car accident that resulted in the driver being hit by several cars, caused problems on both sides of the freeway, as the driver crashed heading in one direction, jumped the median, and was struck by cars going the other way.

Accidents Involving Fatalities Take Longer To Clean Up

Teaching a young person to drive is a serious endeavor. In Georgia, in order to get your driver’s license at 16, you have to complete an approved driver’s education program that includes 40 hours of behind the wheel driving and six hours of night driving with a designated instructor (a parent or guardian).

Driver’s ed used to be taught in the public school system, but over the last few decades private driving schools and online curricula for parent-taught programs have become the norm in most states in this country.

The problem arises when a parent or the designated “teacher” doesn’t take the role seriously. No matter how capable a young person, if you put him or her behind the wheel of a car, you are basically handing over a lethal weapon.

At Van Sant Law, we work with lots of accident victims — people just like you and I who were sometimes viciously injured in an automobile or truck accident. The word accident certainly implies “not anyone’s fault,” but the reality is that most car accidents are the result of mistakes made on the road. To keep yourself safe as you drive this summer, you need to be on the look out for mistakes other drivers may make that could cause you harm. For example:

It’s pretty easy to tell when someone is texting and driving. You see the person staring down instead of ahead. He or she may have slowed to a lesser pace and could be veering to one side of the lane or another. If you see someone exhibiting this behavior, steer clear. Distracted driving causes more accidents than alcohol. It’s become an epidemic cause of accidents, so watch for behavior that indicates someone is distracted with a cell phone, navigation system or other device.

Speeding Is Especially Dangerous During Rain

There’s no secret that the cost of everything seems to be outpacing increases in pay. Auto insurance costs continue to rise, but the risk of having a car accident without insurance in Georgia is not worth it. If you drive in the state of Georgia, you need to have car insurance.

When you are in a car or truck accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance, the issues get complicated really quick. As soon as you have received medical treatment for your injuries, you need to contact an accident attorney who can assist with all the paperwork and communications required to make sure your expenses and damages are covered.

There is a growing number of drivers on the roads today without car insurance. Car insurance premiums have continued to go up. Having insurance in Georgia is expensive, in fact it’s the 22nd most expensive state for car insurance. Rates have continued to climb as much as .7% per year, certainly outpacing income growth.