In a recent hearing, the U.S. Department of Transportation took testimony from automakers and industry leaders who wanted smartphone and portable GPS devices included in proposed distracted driving rules. In their current form, the proposed rules would only require automakers to prevent drivers from using in-dash multimedia systems to insert addresses or access the web […]
Georgia addresses distracted driving
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies three types of distracted driving practices: visual (taking your eyes off the road), cognitive (taking your mind off the task of driving) and manual (taking your hands off the driving wheel). Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distractions. Fortunately, texting […]
Lawmakers Introduce Additional Distracted Driving Bill
Two Georgia Democrats want to ban cell phone use in cars and have introduced a bill they hope will lead to safer roads. The proposed legislation, which would improve on a law passed last year, allows motorists only hands-free use of cell phones. Georgia drivers currently face fines of up to $150 if they are […]
Legislators to Consider Truck Weight Limits
Legislators are gearing up for another controversial battle between local governments and the timber industry as the next legislative session begins in January. Timber industry advocates argue that in order for them to be financially viable and provide jobs in a tough economy, their trucks must be allowed to carry heavier loads than state law […]
Slowing Down to Match Conditions – I-285 Speed Limits May Change
Metro Atlanta drivers know how driving habits change on I-285, the perimeter highway that surrounds the city and links many of its first ring suburbs. It is especially known for its fast track and indulgent enforcement of speed laws. The speed limit on I-285 has been 55 miles per hour since 1974, when President Richard […]
Team Bus and Tow Truck Collide – Who Can Be Held Liable
Several high school wrestlers were injured after a Sunrise Towing Service truck crashed into a bus carrying the Cedartown High School wrestling team on their way back from a match at Sonoraville High School just before Thanksgiving. The crash occurred at the intersection of the Rome Bypass and Georgia Highway 53. According to the Rome […]
FMCSA begins efforts to improve truck safety
In early 2012, President Obama signed into law the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, also known as MAP-21. Among other things, this law provided the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration with the authority and the means to continue its efforts to improve highway safety and reduce the incidence of truck accidents […]
Safety Board calls for lower drunk driving limits
In Georgia, as in all U.S. states, a driver whose blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or higher is considered intoxicated “per se” – meaning that he or she is automatically regarded as too drunk to drive and can be charged with driving under the influence, regardless of whether there are any other indicators of […]
Georgia law enforcement plans to focus on distracted and impaired driving
Motorists across Georgia may have noticed an increase in traffic throughout the state. The extra cars on the road during the summer months often leads to an increase in motor vehicle accidents, so officials are taking steps to crack down on some of the behaviors that often lead to these crashes. Georgia law enforcement agencies […]