Posts tagged "reckless driving"

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

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

Jury finds man guilty of reckless driving, not vehicular homicide

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Driving Offenses on Friday, March 15, 2013

The list of potential traffic offenses that a motorist can be charged with under Georgia law is lengthy and can entail some complexity.

Take the term "vehicular homicide," for instance. Homicide is understood by many people to mean the killing of another, usually with intent to do so. A homicide charge can also relate to instances where the driver of a motor vehicle is involved in a death, thus the term vehicular homicide or, as it is also known in Georgia, "homicide by vehicle."

Continue reading Jury finds man guilty of reckless driving, not vehicular homicide

Tags: car accident, homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, speeding, traffic violation, vehicular homicide

Once again, teen driving demographic main focus of safety study

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Monday, March 4, 2013

Recent safety reports indicate that, once again and tragically, the teen-aged driving population across the country is starkly differentiated from all other driving demographics. It is marked by exuberance, some problems with judgment being exhibited by millions of its members, a propensity for being distracted and, above all else, a noted vulnerability.

And it seems likely to stay that way, with the problems facing teen drivers sometimes seeming both intractable and perpetually recycling. The group's members all face a comparative lack of driving experience, which translates directly to spiked car accident numbers and frequent incidents of speeding, reckless driving and other problematic behaviors.

Continue reading Once again, teen driving demographic main focus of safety study

Tags: car accident, graduated driver's licensing, reckless driving, speeding, teen drivers

GA lawmaker seeks for third time ban on drivers using cell phones

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Driving Offenses on Thursday, February 28, 2013

Rep. Rahn Mayo (D-Decatur) is on a professed safety-driven mission, one that specifically targets cell phones.

Mayo doesn't have anything against cell phones per se, but he highly objects to seeing them held by motorists, with one hand cradling the device while the other is on the steering wheel.

Mayo prefers to see both hands on the wheel, and he hopes to see such an outcome realized through passage of legislation that would flatly bar Georgia motorists from using hand-held phones while driving.

Continue reading GA lawmaker seeks for third time ban on drivers using cell phones

Tags: distracted driving, failure to yield, reckless driving, speeding, texting

Carroll County man faces charges for alleged role in car crashes

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Driving Offenses on Monday, February 25, 2013

It is sometimes hard for many people to feel any sympathy at all for a person facing criminal charges in a specific instance. Perhaps the report of what he or she allegedly did seems particularly troubling. Perhaps the person's conduct strikes a reader as insensitive or even callous. Perhaps the charges just seem so far removed from what a reasonable person might do that there is little empathy for the position of an accused.

Continue reading Carroll County man faces charges for alleged role in car crashes

Tags: drunk driving, reckless driving, speeding

School study focuses on high-risk drinking, timely interventions

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Thursday, February 7, 2013

A study on adolescents -- focused especially on young teens -- conducted by researchers at the University of Montreal has produced some interesting findings concerning drinking behaviors and potential ways to help high-risk youth cut back on problematic drinking.

Any inquiry into this subject area will obviously be of interest to parents of teens, especially teenagers who are about to get or who recently obtained their driver's licenses. The specific demographic of teenage drivers is consistently pointed at as being the population most susceptible to problem driving behaviors, such as speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving and underage DUI. Data that can shed light on curbing binge drinking and early-onset drinking among this youthful population is keenly appreciated and scrutinized by many parents, safety regulators, school administrators and law enforcement agencies.

Continue reading School study focuses on high-risk drinking, timely interventions

Tags: binge drinking, distracted driving, reckless driving, speeding, underage DUI

Work remains, but Georgia near top in national road safety rankings

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Driving Offenses on Tuesday, January 22, 2013

New grades released by the national group Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (AHAS) demonstrate mixed results nationally regarding state-level efforts to enact stronger driving laws. According to that report, consistently declining roadway fatality rates across the country have created a lack of concern among lawmakers, many of whom have eased up on efforts to make roads safer for the public.

That inaction is being attacked now that data shows an increase in roadway car accidents over the first three quarters of 2012. A 7.1 percent increase nationally over 2011 totals serves as the largest one-year increase since 1975. Those numbers were released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Continue reading Work remains, but Georgia near top in national road safety rankings

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

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

Houston's boyfriend incarcerated for reckless driving, speeding

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Speeding-Related Offenses on Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Not long ago, the daughter of late singer Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina, was arrested in relation to a traffic accident. On the very same day, Nick Gordon, Bobbi Kristina's boyfriend, was arrested by Georgia police for driving at a high rate of speed.

According to Alpharetta law enforcement officials, a car was spotted traveling at high rate of speed on a recent evening. Though the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour, officers clocked the car at 82. After pulling the car over and identifying the driver as Gordon, police arrested the 23-year-old man on reckless driving and speeding charges.

Continue reading Houston's boyfriend incarcerated for reckless driving, speeding

Tags: reckless driving, speeding violation

Young drivers "webbing" now a core concern of safety regulators

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Young Drivers Under 21 on Wednesday, November 28, 2012

New evidence released by insurer State Farm and based on the company's survey of close to 1,000 motorists centrally spells this for those drivers out on the road who are not engaged in distracting behaviors and truly tuned in to their driving environment: Tune in just a little bit more.

And, while you're at it, be nervous.

In an implied condemnation of the nation's collectively waning attention span, State Farm's report zeroes in especially hard on young drivers -- especially the 18-to29 group - and the seeming inability of much of that population to focus on, well, driving while driving.

An increased car accident risk, as well as heightened risks for reckless driving, speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors resides with that group owing to its infatuation with mobile technology and Internet communication. Apparently the connectivity continues to be required and compelling for many young people even after they start up their cars and hit the road.

Continue reading Young drivers "webbing" now a core concern of safety regulators

Tags: car accident, reckless driving, speeding, young drivers

Judge says reckless driving law targeting paparazzi is too broad

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Reckless Driving on Saturday, November 24, 2012

The singular reality of paparazzi chasing celebrities in and around the environs of Los Angeles obviously doesn't exist to the same degree in Atlanta or other major urban centers outside of California. The law that California legislators passed to specifically address the situation, though, is of interest to many legal commentators and attorneys across the country.

That law's central focus is upon the reckless driving, including excessive speeding, that frequently features when one or more paparazzi are in pursuit of a movie star or other well-known entertainer for the purpose of obtaining pictures and new stories.

Continue reading Judge says reckless driving law targeting paparazzi is too broad

Tags: reckless driving, speeding

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

Federal stats: Only half of all police officers wear seat belts

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

One group of motorists in Georgia and elsewhere across the country engages in speeding far more routinely than is the case for most of the general driving public, although, when they do it, the activity is adjudged a bit differently.

That group is comprised, of course, of police officers.

Continue reading Federal stats: Only half of all police officers wear seat belts

Tags: reckless driving, speeding, traffic violation

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

Georgia high-speed chase certainly dramatic, yet far from typical

On behalf of The Law Offices of James M. Miskell, P.C. posted in Speeding-Related Offenses on Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Television dramas and Hollywood movies have a strong propensity toward depicting speeding episodes in the most dramatic light possible, with scenes often being replete with high-speed and dangerous maneuvering, near misses with -- or actual collisions involving -- other vehicles, and tense conclusions.

Real life is in most instances a bit more mundane and benign that that. In a great majority of instances, a motorist with a clean or unexceptional driving record is simply traveling at a few miles over a stated speed limit when stopped by a police officer. Sometimes a driver turns out not to have been speeding at all.

Continue reading Georgia high-speed chase certainly dramatic, yet far from typical