Three Injured In Head On Crash With 18-Wheeler

In Beaufort County, a logging truck crashed into a car causing major  traffic delays. The wreck between a car and an 18-wheeler container rig happened around 10:10 a.m. at the intersection of Terra Ceia and Van Dorp Roads. The driver of the logging truck didn’t stop at a stop sign and hit another vehicle. The wreck injured two people, who went to a hospital. No word on how serious  the injuries. The driver of the truck faces charges for failure to yield. The driver of the car was charged with having a fictitious tag. One person was airlifted and two others hurt in a head on crash in Beaufort County Tuesday morning. The most seriously injured victim was taken to Pitt County Memorial Hospital by EastCare, while the other two patients were sent to Beaufort County Medical Center. The three injured were all in a Thunderbird with Tennessee plates. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured. The Highway Patrol says the truck driver was charged with failing to yield the right of way while the car driver was charged with driving without a license. They say the tractor trailer was pulling across Terra Ceia Road and didn’t see the oncoming car.

The map below shows the approximate location of this accident:

Coal truck accident claims life of Pike Co. man

In another incident, a coal truck and a pickup collided in Phelps, Kentucky, claiming the life of a Pike County man, David Loudermilk. The accident happened near Calloway Mountain on Highway 3149. Kentucky State Trooper Chris Phillips said Loudermilk collided with a coal truck owned by B&M Trucking. The driver of the other truck was not hurt and is yet to be known. Loudermilk was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was sent to the Medical Examiner’s office in Frankfort to determine the exact cause of death.

The map below shows the approximate location of the accident:

Route 12 back open after fuel truck accident; driver allegedly fell asleep

In yet another unrelated incident in New York, an accident happened on Route 12 in Barneveld Tuesday August 3, 2010. According to the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, a Remsen City Fuel truck driven by Nicholas D. Kelly 21, of Woodgate, was traveling north on Route 12 when he fell asleep. The fuel truck veered off the right shoulder of the highway, striking a guide rail, up a large embankment and rolled over coming to rest back on the highway. Kelly sustained the following injuries, fractured back, broken jaw and a possible broken shoulder. Kelly also suffered several lacerations in the accident. He was sent to St. Elizabeth Medical Center by Prospect Ambulance. Only a small portion of the fuel was spilled from the truck and was quickly contained by Barneveld and Remsen Fire Departments.

The map below shows the approximate location of this accident:

Truck driver fatigue is an all to common problem on our highways. Currently there are federal regulations in place which govern how much driving a commercial vehicle operator can do in a day. As well the regulations also stipulaye how much rest a driver must get. Truck drivers across the country are currently facing new regulations regarding their log driver books. When involved in a truck or any vehicular accidents, immediately seek help for any injuries you or other passengers may have. Our lawyers are familiar with vehicular accidents and will be able to help you understand your legal options. To read more of the types of cases we have settled click here.

For a FREE consultation with our attorneys concerning your accident, call 1-888-315-8840

A teenager from New Brunswick, Maine remained in critical condition at a Bangor hospital on Monday evening after he was thrown from an out-of-control vehicle driven by another teenager. State police Sgt. Tom Pelletier said Monday that the accident occurred just before 11 a.m. Sunday, August 1, at the intersection of Strip Road and New Canada Road.

According to Pelletier, John Michael Fongemie, 16, of Edmundston, New Brunswick, was driving a 2004 Chevrolet pickup north on New Canada Road when he lost control of the truck while trying to negotiate a curve. The vehicle skidded across the intersection of Strip Road, struck a guardrail and rolled down a steep embankment, Pelletier said. Steve Daigle, driver of the other vehicle, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the truck after it struck the guardrail. He was airlifted to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Under such circumstances a truck accident lawyer can help protect your rights.

Fongemie, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered minor injuries, Pelletier said. He was released from the hospital shortly after the accident. Pelletier said Wednesday that Fongemie was driving at a “high rate of speed” at the time of the crash. The two were in the area just “riding around,” he said, and police do not suspect that alcohol was a factor in the crash. Fongemie was unfamiliar with the area, according to Pelletier, and at 16 was not an experienced driver.

As truck accident attorney ’s we have successfully litigated such cases. Here are related accident statistics.

While in Dayton Texas, the driver of an 18-wheeler truck has died following a crash between the vehicle and a train at a railroad crossing in Liberty County. A trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety said that the driver was part of a crew loading equipment on the County Road 622 railroad crossing. The driver moved the truck forward onto the tracks as a locomotive with several rail cars traveled eastbound on the rail line. The trooper said that the conductor blew the horn on the rail car several times, but the truck driver apparently did not hear it. The locomotive crashed into the cab of the truck, carried it forward almost one mile down the track to County Road 621. The truck driver died and the rest of the railroad crew avoided injury despite the fire on the front of the locomotive. Unfortunately accidents involving trains also occur in Georgia. Calling on a truck accident attorney can help protect you under such circumstances.

Defensive driving is always the safest option for all drivers. An extra care taken, may spell safety for everyone on the road, if only everyone can be extra cautious. Avoid speeding at all times. Accidents happen in a blink of an eye. Being alert always also would be helpful to avoiding accidents just like the train accident mentioned above.

Following an accident it is important to  discuss your legal rights.  It is essential to seek legal advice before speaking to others. Nobody likes to think about being injured in a car accident, but if something ever happens, you should protect your rights and make it easier to get the compensation you need. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident, contact our competitive lawyers who will be more than happy to help you.

For a FREE consultation with our litigation attorneys concerning your accident, call 1-888-315-8840

An attempt to be of help terribly gone wrong. A driver of an 18-wheeler truck was attempting to help a stranded motorcycle rider at Interstate 45 in Dallas when things went terribly wrong. It has caused the death of two people and left two others in the hospital in critical conditions and fighting for their lives. We are Tucker, GA litigation attorney ’s who specialize in helping people with such cases. Here is an accident with Senator Harry Reeds wife involving a tractor-trailer.

Eyewitnesses say a group of motorcycles were traveling at high speeds northbound when one of them, which is believed to have blown one of its tires, crashed. More than a dozen motorcycle riders from the group turned around and began traveling south on the northbound lane to find the person on the bike that crashed. Marquez, the truck driver tried to pull to the side of the road to try to help and call 911 but as he tried doing so, a 1988 Buick, with three people inside, crashed into him. Two of the passengers, one of which the driver of the Buick, was killed instantaneously. Marquez and his wife who were on the truck that night weren’t injured. Marquez was upset the wreck had cost 2 people their lives. The third person traveling in the Buick and the motorcycle rider are the two people hospitalized at Baylor. Knowing what to do if you are involved in a pedestrian accident is important. Retaining the services of a truck litigation attorney could help you significantly.

Tucker, GA attorney: In another unrelated incident in Miami, Tavaris Payne, a 15-year old boy driving a Go Kart slammed into a moving truck that was parked along Northwest 80th Street in Miami. Payne sustained fatal injuries, according to authorities. Payne was with his friend Edrick Moore that Sunday afternoon. Moore recalled Payne had trouble with the Go Kart when he was driving it. He said the kart was going too fast and so Payne lost control and went under the truck. The kart crashed into a yellow Penske moving truck parked on the south side of the 80th Street. Moore said he ran over and tried to revive his friend, but it was too late. As a litigation attorney too often we hear about seemingly small mistakes, such as losing control of a go-cart, turn into tragedy. You can read the full story here: Boy on Go Kart dies after hitting truck

Shortly before 7 p.m., the kart slammed into a yellow Penske moving truck parked on the south side of Northwest 80th Street, a few yards west of Seventh Avenue. Moore said he ran over and tried to revive his friend, but it was too late. Tavaris didn’t own a Go Kart according to his parents said. The kart belonged to a friend. Shortly after 10 p.m., the last police cars left the crash scene. The Penske truck had been towed away.

We can never be too careful when we are on the road, especially when we are the one controlling the wheels. It should always be our practice to be extra cautious. We should be responsible not only for ourselves but also be on the lookout for the actions of others. One simple way, always observe traffic rules. For example it is extremely risky to put other motorists’ lives to risk by going southbound in a northbound lane, regardless of the circumstances. It is against the law to drive against the flow of traffic. When you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident, seek well-qualified legal advice. Seek for dedicated injury attorney ’s who will help you recover compensation for injuries sustained from the wreck. We are Tucker GA attorney ’s who specialize in and are litigation attorney ’s.

3 categories of stress factors:
1. Physical environment such as temperature and vibration.
2. Physiological factors such as poor or inadequate sleep, drugs and alcohol, or irregular eating habits.
3. Psychological factors such as anger, fear, and frustration. Professional drivers are exposed to many of these factors every day.

All three of these factors can lead to a lapse in judgment, driver error or driver distraction. These factors affect drivers of every vehicle, however, truck drivers are at higher risk because they make a living by driving. Additionally, the size of tractor-trailers makes for a more dangerous situation in the event of an accident. These videos will attest to this fact. “What can you learn from accident physics?” is an excellent post explaining how the weight of a tractor-trailer affects the dynamics of a collision.

3 Additional causes of driver fatigue:
4. One cause of fatigue is alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a depressant, and a driver doesn’t have to be drunk to fall asleep at the wheel. Even one drink can be enough to induce fatigue.
5. Another culprit is the nature of modern highway driving. Most car interiors have comfortable, cushioned seats in quiet, carpeted, temperature-regulated environments. Many vehicles have “cruise control.” Most major roads have been engineered to eliminate sharp curves, hills and bumps. Ironically, these designs for comfort contribute to falling asleep at the wheel.

6. Additionally, dull landscapes, the droning of tires and engines, and the repetitive patterns of oncoming headlights, trees, poles and highway center lines can lead to a dangerous, trance-like state known as “highway hypnosis“, which deadens drivers’ senses and slows their reaction time.

To determine your knowledge of driver fatigue the US Department of Transportation offers an online quiz you can take to test your knowledge.

Did you know?:
Stimulants are no substitute for sleep.
Sleep is not voluntary.
An open window or the radio has no lasting effect on a persons ability to stay awake.
The only safe driver is an alert driver.
Sleep is not money. You can’t save it up ahead of time and you can’t borrow it.
The average person needs seven or eight hours of sleep a night.
One of the warning signs of a drowsy driver is misjudging surroundings.
Young people need more sleep than adults.
Half of the victims of fatigue-related crashes are under 25.
If you are driving and your thoughts begin to wander, it is time to pull over and take a break.
Seeing things that are not there is a good indication it is time to stop driving and take a rest.
Driving, especially for long distances, reveals a drivers true level of sleepiness.
To be safe, drivers should take a break every three hours.
During a “microsleep” of four or five seconds, a car can travel 100 yards, plenty of time to cause a serious crash.

Teen driving is no game

The police in Thomasville , Georgia are asking teen drivers to be cautious this driving season. Here are some tips to make your teens driving season safer:
1. No Cell phone use while driving

And with an increase in teens on the road comes an increase in accidents. Authorities say the best way to prevent an accident is to not become distracted, which means putting down those cell phones.

Distractions while driving are one of the most common causes of accidents. Keeping distractions to a minimum is crucial to driver safety.

2. No loud music
Loud music, often viewed positively by teen peers, poses it’s own set of risks including inability to hear other vehicles, risk of distractions while driving and risks associated with hearing loss. Most city districts have ordinances related to music volume from automobiles. Keep the radio volume to a safe level for everyone’s sake.

3. No Texting and driving
In Georgia as of July 1, 2010 texting and driving is no longer an option. The new ban on texting and driving law goes into effect. Distracted driving is dangerous, texting and driving is shown to be more dangerous than drinking and driving.

4. Don’t drink and drive
Risk behavior by teens is nothing new. Unfortunately one of the most deadly combination of bad driving behavior involves mixing drinking alcohol and driving. Teens are not allowed by law to drink in the state of Georgia until the age of 21. Combing alcohol with inexperienced driving can lead to disaster.

5. Always wear a seat belt

Authorities say the best way to prevent injuries in an accident, is by wearing a seat belt. “I can’t stress that enough, how important seat belt usage is. we’ve worked accidents here recently where ejections were a major role in the injuries in these crashes,” said Lt. Steve Jones of the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office.
And if his warnings aren’t enough, take a look at these skid marks left as a reminder of a crash that sent a nineteen year-old girl to the hospital after being ejected from a car Sunday.

Nobody ever expects something like this to happen to them, however, it is because of an error in judgment that this happened. Looking both ways before crossing the street, using crosswalks, crossing near lighted intersections, never jay-walk, etc. These are all rules of the road that pedestrians and drivers have heard numerous times. Yet, accidents still happen, as this video can attest.

Why?
People get struck for numerous reasons. It is the job of police and the court systems to determine who was at fault in any accident. Recently a women was using walking directions, provided by Google Maps, to reach her destination. She was instructed (on her Blackberry phone) to cross a busy highway in order to get to continue her journey. She struck by a pickup truck driver. The women is now suing Google and the truck driver over the incident, claiming both are at fault (Read more here).

Today’s Google search for “pedestrian accidents” showed 4 since the beginning of the month that were significant enough to receive media attention.
Pedestrian in fair condition after getting hit by car: this accident occurred when the pedestrian changed directions while walking across the street and assumed the car that struck him had enough distance to stop.

16-year-old pedestrian struck by school teacher in Eltingville, remains in critical condition: this accident occured when the pedestrian was crossing the street where there was no crosswalk or traffic lights.

Pedestrian in critical condition after being hit by car: this pedestrian accident occurred when a man attempted to cross a highway on foot. The investigation is pending

PEDESTRIAN STRUCK ON BROAD STREET: this accident occurred in New Jersey with a women who was struck near a crosswalk. It seems police the week prior had recently run a traffic enforcement program (called a Decoy Operation) of the recently changed pedestrian law in the state.

We chose to share these stories to illustrate the multitude of scenarios related in pedestrian accidents. All of them are recent accidents and all of them involved error in judgment which led up to the accident.

If you are ever struck in a pedestrian accident or feel a pedestrian was in the wrong should you strike a pedestrian with your vehicle it may be necessary to have an attorney review your situation. Too often mistakes can lead to catastrophe. Pedestrians struck are often killed in accidents. If you or someone you know was injured in an accident, call our office today.

via WLTZ Local News.

A one-vehicle accident claims the life of a tractor-trailer driver in Randolph County. The driver has been identified as 45-year-old Kenneth Wayne Sparks, from Midway. According to Alabama State Troopers, the accident happened Sunday at 1:30 in the morning on U.S 431. It happened around six miles north of Wedowee.

The lawyers at Link & Smith, P.C. extend their sympathy to anybody involved or affected by this wreck. Claims involving wrecks like this need to be handled by experienced accident lawyers familiar with complicated insurance issues that often arise in such a case.

In 1978, nearly half of 16-year-olds and three-quarters of 17-year-olds in the U.S. had their driver’s licenses, according to Department of Transportation data. By 2008, the most recent year data was available, only 31% of 16-year-olds and 49% of 17-year-olds had licenses, with the decline accelerating rapidly since 1998. Of course, many states have raised the minimum age for driver’s licenses or tightened restrictions; still, the downward trend holds true for 18- and 19-year-olds as well (see chart) and those in their 20s.

Looking at overall trends can be misleading, especially considered the statistics surrounding teen drivers. According to the CDC young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population. However, they account for 30% ($19 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among males and 28% ($7 billion) of the total costs of motor vehicle injuries among females. Perhpas observing trends can be comforting, but the reality is teen drivers are at risk on the highways of the United States.

We have discussed different ways in which technology is being used to help curb the risk associated with teen drivers. One such technology is a GPS tracking device that allows parents the option to view exactly where their teen driver is on the road. As a parent being able to keep track or your teenage drivers habits can potentially help keep them safe. And as the features of this product show, it can even be used in the event of an accident.

Another device we have discussed is Drivecam technology which allows for a recording of driver events under certain circumstances. The Drivecam has a camera facing towards the driver as well as out the front windscreen. A digital recording device allows for observation and review after an adverse event. Rather than focussing the technology around observing the drivers location, this technology seeks to improve driver decision making.

Of course no technology is full proof in preventing accidents. But, as technology advances there are more changes we can expect to see affecting driver behavior and accident rates. Here are some recent teen driving accidents that happened in Georgia:

18-year-old killed in Cherokee wreck

Columbus teenager dead after fatal accident; neighbors want change

Funeral Service Held For Teen Killed in Bus Crash

Gwinnett accident seriously injures teen

These are only some of the many teen driving accidents that occur in Georgia every day. If you or someone you know is injured in a car accident, call our office today to schedule a consultation with our attorney. We will answer any questions you may have and help you protect your rights against negligent drivers.

10. Aggressive driving – Driving is both a physical and mental skill. In terms of the basic physical tasks required, a driver must be able to control direction, acceleration, and deceleration. Some mental components of driving include making good decisions based on factors such as road and traffic conditions and evasive maneuvering. All too often we hear about aggressive drivers on the highways. Always avoid driving if you are in a heightened emotional state.

9. Failure to yield “right away” in left lane on highway- Georgia law is already clear as to who has the right away in the left lane, however a new Georgia bill allows for more police enforcement as well as a means of tracking the number of offenses by impeding drivers. In this case a slow driver in the left lane can be dangerous. And unfortunately auto accident fatalities happen every week in Georgia. It appears this new law being considered will give more “teeth” to the enforcement.

8. Talking on phone while driving- Use while driving is common but controversial. Because of this, some jurisdictions have made the use of a cell phone while driving illegal. Others have enacted laws to ban handheld mobile phone use, but allow use of a handsfree device. In some cases restrictions are only directed to minors or those who are immediate license holders. Georgia law dictates that using a cell phone while driving is acceptable as long as it doesn’t interfere with your driving. However a bill is being considered that would change the law on phone use while driving.

7. Speeding- Used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum (which may be variable), minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign. Speed limits are commonly set and enforced by the legislative bodies of nations or provincial governments. Speed management involves a balanced program effort that includes: defining the relationship between speed, speeding, and safety. it also involves applying road design and engineering measures to obtain appropriate speeds and the setting of speed limits that are safe and reasonable. Applying enforcement efforts and appropriate technology that effectively address speeders and deter speeding is also needed. Marketing communication and educational messages that focus on high-risk drivers; and soliciting the cooperation, support, and leadership of traffic safety stakeholders.

6. Bicycle collisions- Causes of crashes vary according to local conditions. A study conducted in 2000 by SWOV (Institute for Road Safety Research) in the Netherlands found that single bicycle accidents accounted for 47% of all bicycle accidents, collisions with obstacles and animals accounted for 12%, and collisions with other road users accounted for 40% (with the remaining 1% having unknown or unclassified cause). In most countries the dominant cause of serious cyclist injury is collisions with motor traffic.

5. Pedestrian collisions- Almost two-thirds of the 1.2 million people killed in road traffic crashes worldwide are pedestrians [1]. Despite the magnitude of the problem, most attempts at reducing pedestrian deaths have focused solely on education and traffic regulation. However, in recent years crash engineers have begun to use design principles that have proved successful in protecting car occupants to develop vehicle design concepts that reduce the likelihood of injuries to pedestrians in the event of a car-pedestrian crash. These involve redesigning the bumper, hood (bonnet), and the windshield and pillar to be energy absorbing (softer) without compromising the structural integrity of the car.

4. Inexperienced driver- Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group.1 In 2008, nine teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash. Fortunately, teen motor vehicle crashes are preventable, and proven strategies can improve the safety of young drivers on the road.

3. Failure to wear seat belt- Seat belt laws are divided into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary seat belt laws allow law enforcement officers to ticket a driver for not wearing a seat belt, without any other traffic offense taking place. Secondary seat belt laws state that law enforcement officers may issue a ticket for not wearing a seat belt only when there is another citable traffic infraction. Seat belt use has steadily been rising since 1984 (14% of drivers used seat belts). In 2010 seat belt use is projected at 84% use.

2. Driving Under the Influence – In most countries, anyone who is convicted of injuring or killing someone while under the influence of alcohol or drugs can be heavily fined, as in France, in addition to being given a lengthy prison sentence. Many states in the U.S. have adopted truth in sentencing laws that enforce strict guidelines on sentencing. For example, if a defendant is sentenced to ten years, he or she will be in prison for that entire time. This is different from past practice where prison time was reduced or suspended after sentencing had been issued.

1. Texting while driving- texting and driving falls under the category of distracted driving. We consider it the number one worse driving habit because of the high risk for injury associated with it. A 2009 experiment with Car and Driver magazine editor Eddie Alterman that took place at a deserted air strip showed that texting while driving had a greater impact on safety than driving drunk. While legally drunk, Alterman’s stopping distance from 70 mph increased by 4 feet; by contrast, reading an e-mail added 36 feet, and sending a text added 70 feet.

If you or someone you know is injured in a car accident. Call our office today. We can inform you of your rights and help protect you in cases of litigation.

SALT LAKE CITY — A pedestrian who says she was injured by a motorist while following an online walking route has filed a lawsuit claiming Google Inc. supplied unsafe directions. Lauren Rosenberg filed a lawsuit seeking more than $100,000 on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Utah. It also names a motorist she says hit her.

The case involves 2 contentious points of liability in the case:
1. The driver of the vehicle, Patrick Harwood, is negligent because he struck Lauren Rosenberg.
2. Google is negligent because they provided walking directions that were contentiously dangerous

Facts include:
Rosenberg was not at a crosswalk
It was dark outside
She was attempting to cross a highway at night
Traffic conditions were light

Rosenberg claims:
She would not have attempted to cross the street unless told to do so on her Blackberry phone, by Google Map directions.
She claims she thought Google was providing her directions to a sidewalk and hence safe walking conditions.
Here are the directions Google provided for her.

Google Map Disclaimer:
According to a PC World.com story

“[Google] have has had warning text since launch – July 08 on desktop, November 08 on mobile. Due to screen real estate, the mobile beta warning is a bit shorter, but it says “Walking directions (beta): Use caution” and usually shows up with the first step in your directions list.”

The map below shows the intersection of where this accident took place:

Here is a video showing the intersection:

In another twist on this story, a case of mistaken identity has involved another Lauren Rosenberg. This from the Guardian.co.uk website.

Rosenberg has been the subject of some vitriol for an apparent lapse in common sense and a rather ‘hopeful’ lawsuit. Unfortunately that appears to have been directed at another Lauren Rosenberg – a PR executive with a strong online profile who has received various incredulous voicemail and email messages – including one from a friend who said “I thought you were smarter than that”.

We will follow this news story as it develops.