Holiday weekends are notorious for an increase in traffic incidents. During the July 4th holiday this year in Georgia there were 785 holiday traffic accidents resulting in 374 injuries and 11 deaths, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
During the 2012 Labor Day holiday period, 10 people died in traffic crashes in Georgia, and the Georgia State Patrol investigated 373 traffic crashes which resulted in 230 injuries.
Many people who were injured in those car accidents are still recovering from their injuries, facing medical bills, and dealing with lost income. Some of these families are dealing with the loss of a loved one in addition to medical bills and funeral expenses. While we can’t turn back the clock, we can look ahead to the next big holiday weekend that is approaching, Labor Day Weekend, and work toward making it a safer holiday.
The 2013 Labor Day Weekend officially begins Friday August 30 at 6pm and will run through Labor Day ending at midnight. This holiday time span clocks in at 78 hours. What can we expect during those 78 hours on our Georgia roadways and in particular in our largest city, Atlanta? There are many activities and events planned in Atlanta for the 2013 Labor Day Weekend which will greatly increase traffic coming into and going out of the city and flooding roadways all over Georgia. A series of Races at the Atlanta Motor Speedway and Dragon Con, an Atlanta science fiction convention, just to name a couple of big events, will bring in thousands.
In the best of times vehicle accidents happen, but when the roadways are inundated with thousands of extra vehicles going to and from major holiday events the incidence of car accidents is certain to rise. If you are planning on driving during the Labor Day weekend, you need to be extra cautious, allow extra time to get to your destination, and never drink and drive.
Every 53 Minutes A DUI Accident Claims a Life
Mothers against drunk driving reports that police officers will be out in force this Labor Day weekend to help prevent DUI accidents with their “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” high visibility enforcement campaign. According to MADD these type of enforcement campaigns helps reduce drunk driving fatalities by 20%. Even so, statistics show that on average a DUI accident claims a life every 53 minutes and every 90 seconds causes injuries to others.
You can be sure there will always be some individuals who, in the best of times, will drive in a negligent manner or decide to drink and drive. With the large number of vehicles on the roads during the Labor Day Weekend, it raises the probability that some negligent and/or DUI drivers will end up causing car accidents. If you or a family member should be the unfortunate victim of a DUI accident or any accident that was caused by another, you should get any medical attention you need first and then you need to protect your rights by retaining an Atlanta car accident attorney.
You have the right to seek compensation for the damages caused in a car accident that was not your fault. Medical bills, rehabilitation, therapy, loss of income, property damage, and more are all losses for which you can seek compensation. It is usually the car insurance company who will pay out compensation, but they usually pay out as little as they have to watching out for their profit margins, which may not be fair compensation for your losses.
Having the representation of a personal injury attorney who understands the value of your damages can be vital in making sure the insurance company pays you fair and full compensation for your injuries. The difference between what they may initially offer you and what an Atlanta personal injury attorney can obtain for you in compensation can be huge.
Atlanta & East Point Car Accident Attorney
If you or a family member has been involved in a car accident or suffered an injury from any type of accident in which another person was at fault, you should always get the advice of a personal injury attorney to protect your rights and assure that you are treated fairly.
Contact Atlanta personal injury attorney Joel Baskin if you have been injured in a car accident or suffered injury from a slip & fall, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident, medical malpractice, or more. Joel is an experienced Atlanta attorney who has been serving clients in the Metro Atlanta area for over 17 years with two convenient offices in East Point and Vinings.