Atlanta residents may be surprised to learn that automobile accidents comprise the largest portion of personal injury claims in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, people across the country are involved in a motor vehicle accident every few seconds. Victims can be seriously injured or even killed, particularly in accidents on the highway.
The Atlanta Metro Area has experienced a recent string of tragic wrong way highway crashes. In the fourth such accident in two weeks, a driver heading southbound in the northbound lanes of a local interstate was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle. The wrong way driver and a passenger in the oncoming vehicle were both killed.
In a recording obtained from county police, a witness reported that the wrong way driver’s car ran head-on into the victims’ car and disintegrated upon impact. The passenger in the other vehicle died at a nearby hospital and the other driver sustained injuries. In the previous wrong-way crashes in and around Atlanta, a number of other drivers and passengers were severely injured and killed.
Victims of motor vehicle accidents may wish to bring a personal injury claim against a negligent driver, such as a wrong way motorist. These cases are determined according to the rules of negligence. In general, people who operate automobiles must exercise reasonable care depending on the circumstances. Failure to do so may result in legal liability to victims injured as a result of a driver’s negligence.
One of the major factors considered in assessing fault in automobile accident cases is whether a driver was disobeying traffic laws and signs. Other evidence of negligence like speeding, distracted driving or driving under the influence may also be considered. Should a car crash victim wish to assert a personal injury claim, money damages recoverable in these cases can provide some measure of relief after an accident.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “911 tapes tell horror of wrong-way wreck,” Marcus K. Garner, Aug. 29, 2012