Posts tagged "car accidents"

Adult drivers could be far better mentors to teen motorists

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 18 on Wednesday, April 17, 2013

"Do as I say, not as I do."

That would, unfortunately, seem to be a core kernel of instructive knowledge that is overtly on display for teen drivers to take away following scrutiny of numerous traffic safety studies that have recently emerged. Those studies indicate that, while adult motorists collectively talk a good game regarding the perils of texting while driving, they are even more prone to engage in that dangerous activity than are their younger and more inexperienced teen counterparts.

That is not the way it is supposed to be working out, say safety experts, especially given the clear linkage that has been demonstrated between texting and car accidents. Many studies also show that, even in instances where a motor vehicle crash does not result from a driver distracted by texting, other problematic behaviors -- such as speeding and failure to yield - frequently occur while that distracting behavior is going on.

Continue reading Adult drivers could be far better mentors to teen motorists

Tags: car accidents, failure to yield, motor vehicle crash, speeding, texting

Parents can now track their teen's driving behavior from home

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 18 on Monday, April 8, 2013

Young drivers -- especially teen motorists -- in Georgia and elsewhere across the country generally know that they constitute a targeted driving population and are being closely watched. As the demographic with the most jarring statistics related to speeding, reckless driving and involvement with car accidents, it is not surprising that such scrutiny attaches to teenagers in cars.

And the attention is wide-based, coming from police officers out on the roads, other motorists and people who know them in their local neighborhood.

Oh, yes, and from their parents.

Continue reading Parents can now track their teen's driving behavior from home

Tags: car accidents, reckless driving, speeding

Red-light camera update: Growing legislative action in many states

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Speeding-Related Offenses on Thursday, April 4, 2013

Traffic cameras have always been -- and continue to be, with increased fervor -- a hot-button topic in many states across the country, including Georgia.

We have provided readers with relevant information and updates regarding red-light cameras in prior blog posts (please see our November 8, 2012, post entry). Given the recent interest of many politicians and legislative bodies across the country directed at the devices, we provide some new information here.

Georgia has long allowed the use of such cameras statewide, the rationale being that they deter speeding, reckless driving and car accidents. There is no state law governing the subject, and a number of municipalities -- including, centrally, Atlanta -- have liberally placed the devices at high-volume intersections.

Continue reading Red-light camera update: Growing legislative action in many states

Tags: car accidents, reckless driving, red-light cameras, speeding

Georgia teens drive home safety point through crash demonstration

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 18 on Tuesday, April 2, 2013

High schools in towns and urban areas around the country, including in Georgia, often take special note this time of year of the close nexus between teen-related activities such as spring break, prom and graduation and the heightened potential for underage DUI, car accidents and other vehicle-related mishaps.

Such is the case in Cairo, county seat of Grady County in the southwestern corner of the state, where the Cairo High School student body organized and staged a mock car crash recently that they hoped would keep students focused on driving safety and awareness.

Continue reading Georgia teens drive home safety point through crash demonstration

Tags: car accidents, drunk driving, speeding, traffic violations, underage DUI

As long as there are laws, there is a need for sound legal defense

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Speeding-Related Offenses on Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Josiah Tullis, a writer and futurist, makes an interesting point about the singular nature of politicians as a group, and a personal attribute among many of them that differentiates them as decision makers and problem solvers.

Namely, and in contrast to people like scientists, business people, researchers and engineers, politicians aren't problem solvers. Rather, and in Tullis' words, they're problem avoiders.

That is, and owing to their need to be constantly engrossed in activities that promote their chances of being elected in the next cycle, they don't seek to fix problems. Instead, they tend to just throw new legal enactments at them. Rather than trying to creatively address and alleviate problem behaviors -- such as reckless driving, speeding, distracted driving and drunk driving -- that lead to car accidents, they invariably just continue to pronounce them illegal, demand obedience to the law and punish transgressors with harsh criminal and civil penalties. As Tullis notes, that simply equates more to, "Don't do this" than providing new ideas for fixing problems.

Continue reading As long as there are laws, there is a need for sound legal defense

Tags: car accidents, drunk driving, reckless driving, speeding

New focus, new studies: Pot and the buzzed driver

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Driving Offenses on Monday, March 11, 2013

Voters in Washington and Colorado passed laws legalizing recreational marijuana last year. Additionally, a high number of states have enacted legislation providing for medical marijuana within their borders, with others having bills pending that consider legalizing pot for medical use.

Georgia has joined neither of those groups and seems unlikely to do so anytime soon, despite some advocates pressing for the legalization of medicinal pot in the state.

Continue reading New focus, new studies: Pot and the buzzed driver

Tags: car accidents, drunk driving, medical marijuana, recreational marijuana

Athens and DUI data, activity: a unique college town

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in DUI on Thursday, March 7, 2013

Athens, home of the University of Georgia, occupies a singular state niche in a lot of ways. As noted by a writer in a recent media piece, it is "a unique community," with many thousands of college students, a pulsing night life and a rabid fan base for Bulldogs football. Athens plays host to at least a handful of games each year, with the town's population swelling by about 100,000 people on each occasion.

Understandably, that can skew drinking-related statistics for a town, and those are duly noted by safety officials and local police.

"Unfortunately, there always will be people who will drink and drive," says Lt. Don Eckert, commander of the Athens-Clarke Traffic Unit, who notes additionally the obvious nexus that has for drunk driving arrests -- including underage DUI -- and car accidents.

Continue reading Athens and DUI data, activity: a unique college town

Tags: car accidents, drunk driving, underage DUI

Car makers: More on-board apps will actually help improve safety

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Reckless Driving on Tuesday, January 15, 2013

What automobile manufacturers are touting as an antidote to dangerous distracted driving behavior centered around motorists' playing with their smartphones while driving sounds highly ironical at first, but begins to make some sense the more it is thought about. Namely, that is this: Give drivers more toys to play with.

That seems to be the front-and-center recommendation coming out of the 2013 Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES), to which people flock from around the world to gawk at the latest tech fads and trends.

Continue reading Car makers: More on-board apps will actually help improve safety

Tags: car accidents, failure to yield, reckless driving, speeding

If you're on the road over the holidays, be focused and stay safe

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Speeding-Related Offenses on Monday, December 24, 2012

Holiday driving in Georgia and every other state can be marked by a bit more stress than what is otherwise the case at other times of the year, with the reasons being obvious for that. Time is short for many people and there are many miles to be driven within a compressed period. Emotions might be running high in some families, with any number of stress points relating to relatives, finances, divorces, unfinished business at work and additional factors serving to distract drivers.

The result, as is repeatedly demonstrated year after year, is an increase in car accidents and other motor vehicle mishaps over the Christmas season and New Year's period. Impatience, fatigue, excitement and an array of other catalysts can induce problematic driving behaviors such as speeding and reckless driving, which in turn can lead to upped accident risks and, often, interaction with the criminal justice system following receipt of one or more traffic violation charges.

Continue reading If you're on the road over the holidays, be focused and stay safe

Tags: car accidents, reckless driving, speeding, traffic violation

AAA study focus: young motorists and drowsy driving

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Tuesday, November 20, 2012

For all the attention paid to distracted driving and teen drunk driving, there is yet another unsafe behavior that remains a legitimate threat to the well-being of young drivers: drowsiness. A new study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveals that one in seven drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 has been drowsy and battling sleep at least once within the past year.

Drowsy driving is still dangerous at any age, with one in 10 drivers of all ages experiencing drowsiness while driving in the past year. But studies show that teens are more likely to engage in this reckless driving behavior, and more fatigue-related car accidents are occurring as a result. According to crash data, drivers ages 16 to 24 are 78 percent more likely to be drowsy when involved in a wreck than drivers in the 40-to-49 age range.

Continue reading AAA study focus: young motorists and drowsy driving

Tags: car accidents, drowsy driving, drunk driving, reckless driving, young drivers

Speed and red-light cameras: always controversial

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Speeding-Related Offenses on Thursday, November 8, 2012

The recent comment of a police spokesperson in Washington, D.C., concerning the effects of the District's many cameras that have been installed to catch speeding motorists is certainly understated. When that official stated that, "We believe we have made an impact," her remark both underscored the huge amount of revenues the cameras are producing for the District's coffers and the increasing acrimony that they are engendering in the many thousands of drivers who are being ticketed.

All told, there are 46 speed cameras and 47 red-light cameras in Washington, D.C., and the money they are generating is flatly staggering. One camera alone has issued 116,734 tickets over the past 23 months and brought in $11.6 million in revenue for the District.

Continue reading Speed and red-light cameras: always controversial

Tags: car accidents, reckless driving, red-light cameras, speeding

One state's GDL laws stand apart from Georgia, other states' rules

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Friday, November 2, 2012

Georgia implemented many years ago a Graduated Drivers License (GDL) law that closely monitors novice drivers' motoring skills and time spent on the road. The law closely tracks legislation that exists in most other states, although there is some variance and local tweaking in the details.

Georgia's enactment places a number of restrictions on and progressively phased-in entitlements for young drivers. The rationale is that a lengthy period of close supervision and controls on teen motorists is needed to cut back on car accidents and teach responsible behavior regarding actions such as speeding, reckless driving and underage DUI.

Continue reading One state's GDL laws stand apart from Georgia, other states' rules

Tags: car accidents, reckless driving, speeding, underage DUI

Teen Driver Safety Week: spotlight on young motorists

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Teen drivers get their own congressionally designated week, making them an especially distinguished group.

Unfortunately, though, that is for all the wrong reasons, as made manifest by a comment earlier this week from David Strickland, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Continue reading Teen Driver Safety Week: spotlight on young motorists

Tags: car accidents, reckless driving, speeding, teen drivers, underage DUI

Atlanta-based CDC study focuses on teen drinking and driving

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Tuesday, October 9, 2012

When it comes to underage drinking, it's always a mixed bag. Studies -- and there are many -- show just about as many variances, differences, conflicts and inconsistencies among teens as are routinely exhibited by the youthful and exuberant members of that population itself.

Some teens drink. Some don't. Some are involved in car accidents. Others aren't. Some occasionally drive drunk. Fortunately, many don't.

A report recently released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta contains a number of interesting findings relating to teen drivers, a population that is always of intense interest to the motoring public generally.

One such finding stresses that teens' drunk driving is down from previous years and significantly decreased from two decades ago. CDC researchers say, in fact, that underage DUI incidents last year were down a whopping 54 percent from 1992.

Continue reading Atlanta-based CDC study focuses on teen drinking and driving

Tags: binge drinking, car accidents, drunk driving, underage DUI, underage drinking

A consuming issue for many parents: minor children and alcohol

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Monday, September 10, 2012

Parents of teenagers are constantly faced with the moral and ethical dilemmas of keeping their children from consuming alcohol as minors. As children age and even become legal adults in some states, though, the question of underage drinking becomes more difficult to answer.

Many parents have a hard time deciding when their children reach the right age to consume alcohol. In many cases, that age arrives before those children are legally able to drink. But with the ability to drink comes increased social responsibility, and minors who shirk their duties - for example, through an act of underage DUI -- could put themselves and other individuals at risk.

Continue reading A consuming issue for many parents: minor children and alcohol

Tags: car accidents, underage DUI, underage drinking

Georgia's Operation Zero Tolerance runs through July 4 weekend

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in DUI on Monday, July 2, 2012

Law enforcement officers across the state of Georgia are cracking down on drunk drivers. Starting in late June and continuing through the 4th of July holiday, Georgia state troopers and sheriff's deputies are implementing Operation Zero Tolerance, when officers will be trying to curb drunk driving accidents by keeping an eye out for drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Continue reading Georgia's Operation Zero Tolerance runs through July 4 weekend

Tags: DUI patrols, car accidents, drunk driving, sobriety checkpoints

Augusta mom, teens face charges in underage drinking incident

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Thursday, April 26, 2012

Prom is a central rite of passage for teenagers across the United States, including Georgia high school students.

And every year, the event is preceded by admonitions, pleas and public service announcements coming in from every direction, with one common theme reiterated: Stay away from alcohol if you're under 21, because authorities will be on the lookout for underage drinking and prosecuting violators.

Often associated with that message is a strong reminder regarding the close association with drunk driving and car accidents, especially when teens are involved.

Continue reading Augusta mom, teens face charges in underage drinking incident

Tags: DUI, car accidents, drunk driving, underage drinking

Preoccupied drivers raise the car crash ante on income tax day

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Speeding-Related Offenses on Thursday, April 19, 2012

Absent an extension granted by the IRS, the final day for paying 2011 taxes passed two days ago, on April 17, commonly referred to as Tax Day.

Hopefully, this will be the year that casts aside -- or at least grants a reprieve from -- an unwanted statistical proof regarding car accidents, namely this: They occur at an appreciably higher rate on Tax Day than on all the other days that immediately precede and follow it.

A great many people who put things off are understandably stressed on that day. Some of them are, as described by one tax adviser, "frantic." It is not uncommon for some of them to engage in speeding, distracted or reckless driving, and to be generally preoccupied with things other than driving as they hurry to the post office or a tax preparation firm.

Continue reading Preoccupied drivers raise the car crash ante on income tax day

Tags: car accidents, reckless driving, speeding

Speeding Georgia troopers, police officers concern authorities

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Speeding-Related Offenses on Monday, April 16, 2012

Georgia State Patrol officials and their peers at county and municipal police departments across the state are flatly concerned with speeding troopers and police officers, and both recent events and relevant statistics indicate that they should be.

Just last month, a Gwinnett County jury awarded $2 million in a wrongful death lawsuit to the widow of a man killed near Snellville in late 2006 after being struck by a police car.. In that incident, the officer -- who was responding to a call as a backup car -- slammed into the side of the victim's vehicle while traveling approximately 34 miles per hour over the speed limit. Neither the lights nor sirens on the police car were activated at the time of the collision

Continue reading Speeding Georgia troopers, police officers concern authorities

Tags: car accidents, speeding, wrongful death

For some Georgia, other teens, driving can be especially hard

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 18 on Monday, April 2, 2012

Teen drivers often get themselves into car accidents because of speeding, reckless driving, and even driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. But some teens in Georgia and across the United States face a greater risk when driving because of a different hazard entirely: attention deficit disorder.

According to a 2007 study conducted through a partnership between two university medical systems, researchers found that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a cognitive condition that affects more teenage drivers than any other mental condition.

Continue reading For some Georgia, other teens, driving can be especially hard

Tags: car accidents, reckless driving, speeding, teenage drivers