Atlanta Injury Lawyers Blog

Accidentally backing over someone accounts for about 15% of all non-traffic crash injuries. Sadly, children between the ages of 1 and 4 years-old account for half of these tragedies and almost half of these accidents happen in the parent's driveway or in a parking lot. In fact, over 200 children die each year after being backed into by a car.

Everyone, including parents, must be vigilant when backing up or driving in parking lots. Young children are often not aware of their surroundings. Many times they are too small to be seen in the rear-view mirror and wind up in the driver's "blind spot."

Continue reading "Atlanta Children Often Seriously Injured In Back-Over Accidents" »

The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is joining Georgia Rides to the Capitol in March. On March 22nd, hundreds of cyclists will ride into town to promote cycling awareness and encourage legislators to support measures that enhance bicycling safety in Atlanta.

Currently, Atlanta is not among the most bicycle friendly cities in the U.S. and we have high accident rates. Drivers can be aggressive and resentful of sharing the road with the slower bicycles. Frequently, even the most well-intentioned drivers do not look for the smaller, less obtrusive modes of transport. Consequently cyclists are hit and seriously injured in intersections or run off the road.

Because riders are largely unprotected, these bicycle collisions often leave cyclists with destroyed equipment and nasty injuries, including brain injuries, broken bones and worse. In 2008, bicycle deaths accounted for 2% of all traffic fatalities in the United States. Injured cyclists can require short and long-term medical care, reconstructive surgery and help managing trauma.

Continue reading "Atlanta Bike to the Capitol Day Announced" »

On Monday morning, a driver on I-85 South of Atlanta struck and killed HERO operator Spencer Pass. H.E.R.O stands for Highway Emergency Response Operator. Pass was parked behind a disabled vehicle in the emergency lane when a truck pulling a trailer sideswiped them.
The tragedy brings to mind an important Georgia traffic law that we see violated on a daily basis. Georgia has a “Move Over Law”. Under OCGA 40-6-16, a driver approaching an emergency vehicle should move over into a lane not adjacent to the emergency vehicle. If it isn’t possible to move over safely, the driver should slow down or stop. Violation of this law is punishable by a fine up to $500.00.

A wrongful death action is an action brought when the death is caused by the willful or negligent act of another. The driver of the truck that killed Spencer Pass is now potentially liable for more than the fine. Mr. Pass’s family has lost a father and a husband. Not only did they lose a loved one, they lost his help and financial support. While no amount of money or damages can bring him back, the law does entitle the family to the “full value of the life” of the deceased.

Continue reading "Atlanta Driver Liable Under More than the Move Over Law" »

The driver of the Cobb County Transit bus involved in a pedestrian accident last week has been charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care.

57-year-old Jean Lewis has been formally charged in the Atlanta-area accident, which occurred eight days earlier. On the day of the crash, the victim, a 57-year-old woman was walking on the crosswalk at the Hamilton E. Holmes Dr. and ML King Junior Dr. Intersection. The driver had a green arrow to turn left. As he was turning, the victim stepped on the curb and into the crosswalk. According to witnesses, the victim saw the bus making a turn, and tried to hurry up across to the other side, but was struck by the rear of the bus. She sustained serious injuries, including a severed leg and a broken ankle.

A new report by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association reveals that pedestrian accident fatalities across the US actually increased by .4% in the first six months of 2010. It may seem like a small increase, but it comes after years of great progress reducing pedestrian accident fatalities. Although Georgia's pedestrian accident fatality numbers declined during the first six months of 2010, there's more that we could be doing to keep pedestrians safer.

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Atlanta joggers, walkers, and bicyclists should use extreme caution while crossing the intersection of LaVista Road, Lindbergh Drive and Chesire Bridge Road. While the City of Atlanta is aware of the safety defects at this intersection, they have not been remedied. In addition to heavy traffic, the following road defects warrant extra precautions: (1) there is NO CROSSWALK on the eastern side of the intersection; and (2) one of the crosswalk buttons is missing, while others do not work properly.

As Atlanta Injury lawyers, we see many Atlanta pedestrian accidents happen as a direct result of unsafe road conditions that result from the City of Atlanta or the State of Georgia's lack of attention to noted road defects. All Atlanta residents should use extreme caution as these types of busy intersections.

Continue reading "Dangerous Atlanta Intersection Needs Correction" »