Fireworks are a hallmark of any Fourth of July festivity. For some people, that means going to watch a professional fireworks display. For others, it means putting on a show in their own backyard.
Is eating while driving that dangerous?
Last month, we reported on a new law that was recently passed, the Hands-Free Georgia Act. The aim of this act is to help dissuade people from using their cell phones--or any handheld electronic devices--while driving.
The benefits of company policies against drowsy driving
In 2014, an inattentive Walmart truck driver crashed his tractor-trailer into the bus of comic superstar Tracy Morgan. Morgan sustained serious brain injury and another passenger--comedian James McNair--was tragically killed. The driver of the truck claimed that his response time on the road was compromised due to the fact that he had been working without sleep for more than 24 hours.
Why you should turn your phone on silent when driving
You're driving down the freeway to work. It's rush hour, making traffic unpredictable and requiring you to concentrate harder. On top of that, you haven't had your morning coffee yet, and you're aware that you're not as alert as you should be.
Hands-Free Georgia Act signed into law
On April 22, 2015 a distracted truck driver in Statesboro collided his tractor-trailer into an SUV containing seven nursing students at Georgia Southern University--killing five and severely injuring two of the SUV's occupants. The driver was convicted of vehicular homicide and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.
Underreported distracted driving stats
Are you aware that we are more than halfway through National Distracted Driving Awareness Month? If not, you're not alone. Smart phones are extensions of our lives, tools that are part of daily life to the point we sometimes don't notice them. They're also killers on the road, hence the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's "U Drive. U Text. U Pay" ad campaign.
When you're involved in a bicycle hit and run in Georgia
You're bicycling home one night after a long day at work. You're riding in the designated bike lane, you're wearing a helmet and your head and tail lights are on.
Legal impacts if you're in a crash without wearing a seat belt
You're heading home one night after seeing a movie with some friends. Just as you pull out of the theater parking lot into the road, a speeding driver runs a red light and plows into your passenger side door. Your body is thrust hard into the driver side door. You suffer a concussion, whiplash and a broken collarbone. You know the other driver broke at least two traffic laws-speeding and running through a red light. They're clearly at fault, right?
Workplace slip and falls: more common than you might expect
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released some startling statistics on workplace injuries. Slip and fall accidents:
Electrocution deaths in construction still a problem
Electrical workers and other construction workers come into contact with electrical equipment and electrical wiring on job sites daily. Although the number of electrocution fatalities is decreasing, exposure to electricity still kills nearly 150 construction workers annually and most deaths are preventable.
Commercial truckers are at high risk for workplace injuries
Commercial trucking accidents are often so dangerous due to the size difference between the vehicles; a truck can weigh as much as 30 times more than a passenger vehicle. When a collision happens, the truck drivers often survive simply because they are behind the wheel of the larger vehicle. However, the U.S. Department of Labor reports that injuries and fatalities happen more in commercial trucking than in any other industry.
Fatal workplace injuries on the rise
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has released a new report showing a 7-percent jump in fatal workplace injuries between 2015 and 2016. It cited transportation as the most common cause of death on the job-accounting for about two-fifths of all incidences. Violence in the workplace rose 23 percent in the last year, making it the second most common cause of death at work.
How to fall correctly
When you think of the dangers of slip and fall accidents, you might expect the serious risks to be borne by construction workers and other people who spend their days working on high ladders, rooftops and other high-risk environments. For the average Joe going about their daily routine, you might only expect a slip and fall accident to result in a sprained ankle or a bruised knee.
Atlanta ranks #1 in truck congestion; increased risk of crashes
A recent study by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) examined freeway bottlenecks commonly accessed by truckers in 300 different sites across the country. It found Atlanta's I-285 at I-85 (North) to be the most congested thoroughfare in the nation for trucks. This was followed closely behind by another Atlanta passageway--I-75 at I-285 (North)--in fourth place.
Georgia construction company cited for improper trenching safety
In a recent inspection of Dustcom Limited Inc., the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found the company to be negligent in providing suitable safety conditions for trench workers--putting these workers at unnecessary risk of trench collapse. Dustcom received the maximum allowable fine: more than a quarter of a million dollars.
Get ready for the Georgia Safety Stand Down: January 22-26
This month, the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Georgia is joining forces with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to put on a week-long campaign aimed at educating workers in the construction industry about workplace safety during the winter.
How comparative negligence affects your personal injury claim
In a previous post, we discussed whether you have the right to sue if you were injured in a motorcycle accident but weren't wearing a helmet. Georgia law requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet will riding. However, failing to wear a helmet does not automatically mean the other driver is off the hook. It depends on the amount of negligence each party has--which, in the legal community, is known as "comparative negligence." Today we will examine this concept in more detail.
New bill could lead to advancements in truck safety
While on-road collisions involving a tractor-trailer may be less frequent than accidents involving other types of vehicles, such accidents are nonetheless a growing concern in the U.S., and they are almost always fatal.
The legal risk of serving alcohol to underage Thanksgiving guests
Thanksgiving is a time of celebration with family and friends. In addition to the turkey, pie and sweet potatoes, alcohol often plays a prominent role in Thanksgiving get-togethers. At such festivities, many hosts may allow their underage nieces or nephews to have a drink or two. They mistakenly assume that it's safer for minors to drink at home--under the supervision of trusted adults--rather than at a party or in a bar.
Mating season can result in deer-related crashes
The months of October through December can be particularly hazardous to Georgia motorists, but not for the reasons you might think. Is it because of snowfall that makes roads slippery and dangerous? Not here in the South, where the temperatures remain mild. How about drivers who have had too much to drink at their holiday celebrations? Drunk drivers do pose a threat, but that's not the one we're talking about:
