Articles Posted in Car Accidents

Construction picks up in Atlanta during the summer months, which means more construction workers on the roads and more detours or closed lanes. Construction sites can be dangerous, and construction workers are not the only ones at risk. Drivers who do not know how to react to merging lanes or who are distracted by the construction may be a risk to other motorists on the road. Construction can also lead to road closures causing detours for trucks and other vehicles and increasing the chances of a crash happening on unfamiliar roads.

Because construction sites can be dangerous places, it is imperative drivers slow down to get through the construction zone safely. A driver who disobeys a slower speed limit set in a construction site could be subject to a large traffic ticket fine. If a driver is disobeying the construction zone limit or is otherwise negligent, his carelessness in the construction area could be justification for a personal injury claim brought by injured workers or other victims involved in a collision. An Atlanta car accident lawyer at Van Sant Law, LLC can provide legal assistance to victims involved in construction accident cases.

Roadway Work Zones are Dangerous for Motorists and Workers

Throughout Atlanta, drivers are at risk of becoming involved in a motor vehicle accident as a result of being distracted by their smart phones or other electronic devices. This April, during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a new product was released that is likely to make the risks of distracted driving accidents exponentially worse: that product was the Apple smart watch.

While Georgia has laws in place to restrict the use of electronic devices in an effort to prevent distracted driving, it is not 100 percent clear what impact existing laws are going to have on motorists who purchase and wear the Apple watch. Motorists who do choose to wear this watch and who are distracted by it can be held accountable if they cause a crash due to their unsafe behavior. An Atlanta distracted driving accident lawyer should be consulted to provide assistance to victims of accidents caused by a driver distracted by a smart watch.

Smart Watches Are Going to be Dangerous for Drivers

Speeding is undeniably one of the major causes of motor vehicle collisions within the United States. Once a car is going above 15 miles per hour, even relatively minor changes in how fast the vehicle is going will make a big impact on whether a crash is fatal or not. For example, if a pedestrian is struck by a car that is going 23 MPH, there is a 10 percent chance the pedestrian will die. If that car is going just 32 MPH, the risk goes up to a 25 percent chance the impact will be fatal.

Despite the fact that speed limits have a big impact on how dangerous the roads are, the process for setting speed limits is not very scientific and is not necessarily tailored to achieve optimum safety. FiveThirtyEight.com explains how speed limits are set€¦ and why the rules aren’t good enough to reduce the number of deadly crashes due to speeding drivers.

Of course, drivers need to be aware that it is ultimately their responsibility to make safe choices, regardless of what the speed limit is. If the road conditions are poor and it is not safe to drive the limit, motorists need to slow down. if they don’t, victims could pursue legal action to obtain compensation if a crash occurs. An Atlanta car accident lawyer can help those who have been harmed to determine if a speeding driver was to blame.

Over a five year period in the United States, 556 pedestrians and bicyclists were killed in side swipe truck accidents. Left and right hook truck collisions occur when a truck is turning and hits a pedestrian or bike rider who is going straight or who is walking across the road. These accidents can be especially deadly for the bike rider or the pedestrian because the walker or bicyclist is likely to be forced underneath the large wheels of the commercial truck.

Side guards could prevent these tragedies and keep pedestrians and bicycle riders from going underneath a truck that hits them; however, there is no federal law mandating the use of side guards and there are few state laws imposing a requirement side guards be used. Trucking companies that want to reduce the chances of deadly accidents (and thus reduce potential liability) may wish to consider voluntarily installing side guards in order to keep pedestrians and bike riders safer.

If you or someone you love was hurt or killed in a truck accident in Atlanta, you need to contact a truck accident attorney with experience and compassion. Your attorney can advise you of options for pursuing a claim for compensation and can assist in fighting for full and fair payment for all losses.

Becoming involved in a car accident can be a scary situation under the best of circumstances. Unfortunately, if your child is in the car with you at the time of the accident, it becomes much worse. You want to ensure you do everything possible to protect your child after a motor vehicle collision occurs, and that means knowing what steps to take after a crash happens.

One of the key things you should do after a crash occurs is to contact an Atlanta car accident lawyer for help pursuing a claim for compensation. If your child sustained injuries and the accident was the fault of another motorist, you’ll want to make sure that the motorist responsible provides payment for monetary damages.

These funds can help you to get the very best care for your child, without any worries about the financial issues this could cause for your family. Care2 also provides details on some of the other key things that you should do in the immediate aftermath of an accident in order to reduce the risk of serious injury for your young children.

CNN published an article recently with a troubling warning for parents. The article focused on a phenomenon called the 100 Deadliest Days, which refers to the fact that the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is the most dangerous time for teen drivers.

Teens who drive could not only injure themselves or fellow passengers during the 100 deadliest days, but could also cause serious injuries or even death among other motorists on the road.

If a teen driver does something wrong behind the wheel, the teen and his family could all potentially be held accountable, depending upon the circumstances. An Atlanta car accident lawyer can help victims to determine if it is possible to pursue a case. Parents should also try to make sure their kids are making smart driving decisions so they are not the ones who end up being sued for losses because of causing a crash.

Teenagers are often excited to get their license, and many are unaware or unconcerned about the fact that car crashes are the single leading killer of young people in the United States. Teen car accidents are a terrible tragedy, and innocent victims could be hurt or killed because teenage passengers make dangerous decisions behind the wheel.

When a teen crash occurs, a car accident lawyer can help the victims of the accident- including passengers and other motorists- to take legal action against the teenager who was responsible for causing the crash to occur. Teen drivers and their parents need to be aware of some of the common causes of teen collisions, and of ways to prevent them, to avoid liability and to save lives.

Tips for the Prevention of Atlanta Teen Car Accident Deaths

Truck driver shortages are increasingly a concern when it comes to keeping truck companies staffed. Just this past May, Fortune reported a shortage of qualified truck drivers could have an adverse impact on inland shipping costs, as there are between 35,000 and 40,000 too few qualified truck drivers to meet demand within the United States. Forbes referred to the shortage as a “slow-rolling crisis.

Amidst the shortages, trucking companies may find themselves forced to hire drivers with less experience than they might otherwise prefer. Trucking companies, however, remain responsible for ensuring the truck operators they hire are qualified and able to keep motorists safe by operating vehicles in a responsible manner.

If companies hire unqualified truck operators and those truckers cause accidents, the trucking company can be held responsible both for its negligence in hiring and for the careless actions of on-duty workers. An Atlanta truck accident lawyer can provide assistance in situations where a truck driver or trucking company should be held responsible for crash losses.

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.

Unlocked Passengers Face Big Risks of Atlanta Car Accidents

The Insurance Research Council has released a report demonstrating that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of victims of motor vehicle collisions who get help from attorneys after accidents occur. The number of represented collision victims has more than doubled since 1977, and has also changed significantly just between 2007 and 2012. An increase in the number of represented victims is good news, because it means that more people who are hurt in car accidents are getting the help they need to stand up to insurance companies. 

If you or a loved one is involved in a collision, an Atlanta car accident lawyer can provide advice and guidance, and can deal with the insurance companies on your behalf. With more victims recognizing that they need help dealing with insurance companies, it is becoming more important than ever to have legal help after your crash.

More Victims Benefiting from Legal Representation After Atlanta Car Accidents