Atlanta Injury Attorneys Blog

Early this morning, the Cobb County I-575 ramp at Chastain Road became deadly for a 19-year old car passenger. The driver apparently crossed the ramp and tumbled down an embankment into trees below. Authorities say that it is possible that excessive speed and alcohol may be the reason for this tragedy.

The driver, a 21-year old man and two other passengers were hurt in the crash and were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. It is likely that charges will be filed against the driver and his life will be forever changed because of this tragic single-car crash.

Across the Atlanta metro region and throughout Georgia, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can be deadly. When taking the wheel of a motor vehicle, it is important to remember that any impairment can lead to the death of those in your vehicle or others on the road, whether pedestrians or other drivers.

If you believe a driver is under the influence, don't get into the car. Carry extra cash in your pocket so that you can call a cab and avoid what happened in this situation.

If you are injured because of someone else's carelessness, including drinking and driving beyond the legal limit, you have rights. It is important to contact Atlanta personal injury legal counsel who can help you recover from your injuries and can hold those responsible for your recovery from injuries.

Most likely, the family of the deceased young man will have the right to file an action for the wrongful death of their son. This may well completely alter the young driver's life as he will have to pay for the loss of life and for the injuries of the passengers.

An Atlanta Metro tractor-trailer accident became a tragedy this week after a six-month old baby died from injuries sustained in a Cobb County crash. The infant's parents were both injured in the crash. The Atlanta Injury Attorney Blog and its affiliated Georgia injury law firm wish to express our deepest condolences to the bereaved family.

The truck crash, which also involved several passenger cars, took place on I-75 in Cobb County this past Saturday night. Investigators say that a truck traveling towards the Windy Hill Road exit failed to brake for stopped vehicles on the road. The vehicles, a Toyota Highlander, a GMC Acadia and a Buick LaSabre were stopped in traffic in a construction zone that involved lane closures.

The driver of the truck apparently did not brake and instead slammed into three cars crashing into the rear of the Acadia, the side of the Toyota Highlander and the rear of the Buick LaSabre. The now-deceased baby was a passenger in the Acadia.

The baby's parents who reside in Douglasville, Georgia were immediately treated at Atlanta Medical Center after the accident and their baby was taken in critical condition to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta (Scottish Rite). But sadly, on Monday their baby died from the serious injuries sustained.

The two occupants of the Buick were also injured, while those in the Toyota were not injured.

The tractor-trailer driver is now charged with two misdemeanors -- 2nd-degree vehicular homicide and following too closely. He was not injured in the crash.

Passenger cars on Georgia's roads travel along with heavy vehicles such as tractor-trailers. When they are involved in a collision, the passenger cars are far more likely to be damaged and passengers injured.

This is a matter of weight and speed -- the heavier vehicle cannot stop or avoid a collision as well as a smaller, lighter vehicle. Apparently, in this accident, the truck is alleged to have been following too closely and either did not brake or could not stop in time to avoid the cars.

Earlier this week, I-285 was closed after a fatal auto crash. The tragic incident occurred between Ashford Dunwoody and Chamblee Dunwoody in a corridor that is used by over 200,000 drivers on a daily basis.

The Atlanta Injury Attorneys Blog is sad to report that a young man was killed in this accident. What went wrong on Tuesday morning was that a young man, driving in oncoming traffic collided with a truck, which then caught on fire. The truck driver survived the accident.

Many in the Atlanta area are focusing on the difficulty other drivers had when they were detoured around the road closure after the fatal crash. Once drivers are off the main interstate, some believe that the arterial highways are too difficult for those unfamiliar with the local roads to successfully find their way.

Unfortunately, the impact of the accident was felt well beyond the original accident scene. In fact, roads such as Johnson Ferry Road and Ashford-Dunwoody Road were severely impacted with detoured traffic.

According to some reports, Atlanta, Georgia and its surrounding area, has some of the most congested interstates in the country and some infamous hot spots such as the junction at I-75 and I-285. In addition, the roads that feed the interstates, also known as arterials, are part of the problem.

The criticism is that the roads have not kept up with development in some areas and they are often narrow without shoulders. But there is some good news. The Atlanta arterial roads are scheduled for major expansion and upgrades over the next several decades.

That is at least a step in the right direction to ensure that Atlanta's residents have alternative routes when an emergency arises.

Recently, several deaths have been reported on the roads throughout the South due to icy patches and ice on roadways. Two in Louisiana, three in Mississippi and undoubtedly others. These accidents and fatalities are attributed to roadway and bridge ice and involved everything from 18-wheelers, pick up trucks, SUVs and cars.

We aren't used to this much ice in the South. The Atlanta, Georgia region has not escaped the treacherous weather and we certainly hope not to repeat the recent ice storms given that slick icy roads result in serious auto and truck accidents. But because we don't live with these conditions very often, we might forget the hazards of ice falling from roofs and gutters when ice is present.

Last week, after record-breaking winter weather hit the Dallas-Fort Worth region, ice slid off the roof of Cowboys Stadium, in Arlington, Texas the location for the NFL football's Super Bowl XLV. Unfortunately, one person was critically injured and several others were hurt by the falling ice. Apparently, no injuries are life threatening.

After the incident, most stadium entrances had to be closed and officials put in a great deal of effort removing remaining ice from the stadium roof so it would be clear on game day.

We don't expect another ice storm any time soon in the Atlanta area, but if that happens, it is important to remember that ice can be dangerous not just as a road or sidewalk hazard, but as a roof hazard as well. Remember when walking around buildings that have snow and ice on the roof, falling ice can be a major hazard and melting is very unpredictable.

The Atlanta, Georgia region has many intersections with red light cameras that monitor potential offenders who might otherwise go undetected. The big news this week is that red light cameras are saving lives by lowering the number of motor vehicle crashes at intersections using these cameras.

The Study
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has issued a study report that included 14 major cities with red light cameras and compared statistics of fatal crashes in cities that do not have these cameras. The study included a broad look at 99 cities with populations over 200,000 and then compared fatal crashes between 2004-2008 and 1992-1996, the latter period being prior to the use of red light camera programs.

The study's objective was to: "estimate the effects of red light camera enforcement on per capita fatal crash rates at intersections with signal lights." The result is that the red light cameras have reduced fatal accidents by 24 percent. And in cities using these cameras, fatal intersection crashes that did not include running red lights were reduced as well.

According to the study, 159 lives were saved with the use of cameras and concludes that over the same period, 815 lives could have been saved if more major cities used this tool. It is thought that drivers pay more attention at intersections they know have cameras and slow down to avoid running a red light.

Some Concerns About Red Light Cameras
The AAA has voiced concerns that these systems can be abused as "revenue generators" rather than lifesavers. Others argue that in fact rear-end crashes have increased due to these cameras and still others voice concern that automating law enforcement removes the human element that enables drivers with special circumstances to explain their situation to an officer.

Study Conclusion: Red Light Cameras Reduce Fatal Crashes
The study's final conclusion states a good case for the use of these computerized systems: "Red light camera enforcement programs reduce the citywide rate of fatal red light running crashes and, to a lesser but still significant extent, the rate of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections. Cities wishing to reduce fatal crashes at signalized intersections should consider red light camera enforcement."

The Atlanta Injury Attorneys Blog has posted numerous examples of the terrible consequences of combining excessive alcohol use with driving. Over this past weekend in Cobb County, this dangerous activity is likely to have caused another tragic loss of life.

According to Cobb County authorities, alcohol apparently played a role in the death of a 28-year old man who lost his life while driving his motorcycle in Powder Springs. He failed to properly negotiate a curve and hit a mailbox at a residence on Moon Road, finally coming to a stop in a neighboring yard.

Although in this motorcycle accident the driver did not harm anyone but himself which is itself a terrible and heartbreaking tragedy, we know that the risk of getting on the road while under the influence not only raises the potential for a DUI, it also raises the potential for serious injury or death to other drivers.

So why do people still get on the road when they should not? This may be because of the impaired judgment that goes along with alcohol abuse and the fact that over time, our brains can deteriorate with substance and alcohol abuse and impair our judgment to even a greater extent than an occasional lapse in good thinking. Over the next several weeks, the Atlanta Injury Attorneys Blog will be posting on brain health and how you can protect your brain, the most important organ in the human body. Having good brain health is important for recovery from injuries that can happen in one's life, such as a simple concussion from a motor vehicle accident.

In our Georgia community, the tragedy of car and motorcycle accidents involving drugs or alcohol is all too common. We also know that Georgia's laws, and often its juries, treat the perpetrators of death or injury in these cases with much more harsh consequences when substance abuse is involved in an accident.