Fatal Auto Accidents in Georgia and Your Legal Options

Looking at the valuable information on the infographic here, you can learn a lot about the statistics regarding fatal auto accidents in the US.

Traffic accidents represent one of the leading causes of unnatural death in the U.S. In 2011, about 32,000 men, women and children were killed in vehicular mishaps throughout the country. More than a thousand lives were lost that year in fatal auto accidents in Georgia alone. In addition to the human toll, there are significant legal ramifications to traffic accidents, and it is these many issues that require the services of Attorney Group for Georgia.

Significant progress has been made over the past few decades in making driving safer, and this is reflected by a reduction in the total number of annual traffic deaths. However, this fact gives little consolation to the thousands of Americans who are killed every year, an average of four every hour. In addition to the deaths, millions of others suffer injuries every year in traffic accidents, and the costs of these injuries place a heavy burden on society.

Fatal auto accidents in Georgia take about 30 lives and injure more than 2,000 others every week. Nearly 10 percent of the state traffic fatalities take place in Fulton County, which can be explained by the amount of traffic in and around Atlanta. However, the traffic fatality rate is actually higher in rural areas. Whereas the overall auto traffic fatality rate in Georgia is only slightly higher than the U.S. average, the rate in rural Georgia is more than double that number.

Although collisions between vehicles are commonplace, more than half of the deaths resulting from fatal auto accidents in Georgia are of the single vehicle variety. Many of these crashes involve automobiles rolling over or running off the roadway. Accidents in which at least one of the vehicles involved was a large truck claim nearly 200 lives in the state every year. Other accidents involve automobiles or light trucks running into or over motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Speeding contributes to many traffic crashes, while other fatal auto accidents in Georgia result from such factors as reckless and distracted driving, improper lane changing and the failure to yield at stop signs or traffic lights. Despite the reduction in alcohol-related accidents in recent decades, about a quarter of the traffic deaths that take place in Georgia every year involve drivers who are intoxicated. Mechanical failures related to poor maintenance factor in some accidents, as do road and weather conditions.

The economic toll of traffic accidents is staggering. In view of the fact that the state ranks fourth in the U.S. for medical expenses and work-related injury costs, the economic implications of fatal auto accidents in Georgia can be greater than in most other areas of the country. Although deaths and injuries comprise the greatest portion of expenses incurred in traffic accidents, damage to vehicles and other types of property still accounts for about 25 percent of the total amount. Other costs are not so obvious, including the need for emergency services and disruptions to the flow of traffic related to auto wrecks.

The survivors of the victims of fatal auto accidents in Georgia may be entitled to damages to compensate for the loss of family income. Those injured in accidents may require extensive and costly medical care, and compensation may be needed to help cover these expenses as well. Damages can even be sought for the pain and suffering related to the deaths and injuries resulting from accidents. It is for these and other reasons why those directly or indirectly involved in fatal auto accidents in Georgia should seek a free consultation with a representative from Attorney Group for Georgia. The attorneys affiliated with Attorney Group for Georgia will answer any legal questions you may have, and help you decide if you wish to pursue any legal questions. So contact Attorney Group for Georgia today to take control of the situation and take the guesswork out of finding an attorney for your case.

 

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