Georgia Department of Public Safety Reports 20 Fatal Road Crashes Over Holiday Weekend

This past Fourth of July long weekend was, unfortunately, a tragic one. According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, there were 20 traffic fatalities over the holiday weekend. 

WRDW reported on a few of the road accidents that accounted for some of these fatalities. They included:

• Atkinson County: A man walking down the middle of the road was killed when a car swerved to avoid another car that had also swerved.
• Colquitt County: A crash involving an SUV and a bus resulted in the death of the driver of the SUV. No one on the bus was injured. 
• Grady County: Two vehicles were involved in a head-on collision. One driver died at the scene of the accident, while the other driver was in serious condition and was flown to the hospital. 

Stay Safe with These Safety Tips for Summer and Holiday Driving

It’s summertime, and people across Georgia are vacationing and taking summer road trips. But summer brings with it certain risks when it comes to driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the following tips will help keep you and your family and friends safe while on your holiday and summer drives.

Dealing with higher temperatures. Summers in Georgia are hot, so drivers should keep the following in mind:

• Make sure your car’s A/C is working well before you head out. High summer temperatures mean your A/C will have to work overtime. Remember that the heat can be particularly dangerous for the elderly and the very young. 
• Never leave children unattended in a car, even on a day when the temperature is only in the 70s. Leaving the windows open a crack doesn’t help reduce the dangers, and the temperature inside the car can rise quickly, putting children left alone inside in danger of a potentially fatal heatstroke. 
• Check the rubber belts and hoses in your vehicle. High temperatures can be particularly harmful to rubber, causing cracks and blisters that can create problems while you’re on the road. 

Things to do before you head out. Road trips are fun, but staying safe means you should be properly prepared. Here are some things you should do before you begin your trip:

• Take your vehicle in to get it checked out. From your vehicle’s tires to its cooling system to its windshield wiper blades, the best time for you to spot problems is before you leave, rather than you’re on the road, midway on your trip and far from home. 
• Check the NHTSA’s recall database to make sure your vehicle’s particular make and model isn’t subject to a safety recall. All you need is your VIN, or vehicle identification number, which you can find in the lower left of your vehicle’s windshield and also on the registration card for your vehicle.
• Make sure you have a car seat installed in the back seat for any of your younger passengers who are under 13 years of age. 

Do You Need a Car Accident Attorney?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident this summer, an experienced car accident attorney can assist you through the process of getting the right compensation for your claim. Contact Hudson Injury Firm to consult with an accident attorney today.