Augusta, GA Personal Injury Law Blog

A recent article in The Augusta Chronicle addresses some specific safety concerns for driving on a local thoroughfare that many Georgia residents may recognize by a number of names. No matter what you call Mike Padgett Highway or Old Savannah Road or Highway 56, there's no denying that speeding or negligent driving is a recipe for disaster on any Georgia road that supports as much tractor-trailer traffic as this one does.

Richmond and Burke County residents are likely familiar with Highway 56. This road has gotten wider over the years, and there are lights and traffic directives to help reduce the chance of truck accidents. However, when you have 40,000-pound semi trucks travelling on the road at 65 miles per hour or faster, there are bound to be some dangerous mishaps.

It's easy to forget how important simple driving rules are. People who have been driving for many years may forget why drivers are taught to keep a safe distance behind other cars, to signal turns, and make a complete stop at stop signs. A truck accident that took place on I-985 in Georgia on Friday is a vivid reminder of the fact that simple driving rules are meant to keep drivers safe.

The accident occurred when a 38-year-old truck driver was following too closely behind a car. As the car approached a line of traffic that was slowing because of merging cars ahead, the truck driver failed to stop in time and rear-ended the car. The car then crashed into a pickup truck and a van. Sadly, the driver of the car and her passenger were both killed. The other victims were treated for minor injuries.

Motorcyclists sometimes have a tough time on Georgia roadways. Too often drivers of larger vehicles fail to give due attention to motorcycles, and the riders, who aren't protected by a cab as other motorists are, are likely to suffer injuries in a collision. That was the case recently in Augusta when a motorcycle accident involving a city truck sent the motorcyclist to the hospital with a broken leg.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, the 53-year-old driver of the city truck apparently tried to make a left turn in front of the oncoming motorcycle. The 50-year-old on the bike tried to prevent a wreck and, in doing so, lost control of his vehicle. He and his bike skidded 35 feet and into the truck's passenger door. The truck driver is an employee of Augusta's Engineering Department, and police found him at fault for the crash.

After the death of their son, the parents of a 24-year-old Governor's Office intern filed a wrongful death claim against the drunk driver who was responsible for taking their son's life. A court agreed with the claim and also convicted the woman of driving under the influence. Her blood-alcohol level was .229 percent at the time of the 4 a.m. crash. She was sentenced to five years in a Georgia prison.

Now the parents of the young DUI victim, who was an intern for former Governor Sonny Perdue, have filed a lawsuit against the bar that employed the drunk driver as a waitress. According to the lawsuit, she and other employees at the bar took free "shift shots" before the fatal accident. The lawsuit says that the bar is at fault for giving the drunk driver an excessive amount of alcohol and allowing her to drive off the property.