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Spring is nearly here. With the warmer weather comes a myriad of new driving challenges. Children are desperate to be out in the sunshine, running, skateboarding, biking. It is spring break for college students too, which brings cars full of students driving down to I-75 on their way to Florida beaches. This means many more out-of-state drivers who may not be familiar with the roads in Kennesaw and Cobb County. Families are taking road trips. All of this leads to more traffic congestion. Just as bad: road construction season is beginning.
Your skilled and experienced team of auto accident lawyers here in Kennesaw want you to enjoy the spring weather and stay safe on the roads of Georgia. Here are some safety tips. If you DO find yourself in a car wreck, call us immediately.
Kennesaw Auto Accident Attorneys: Be Extra Watchful For Children
Insurance industry statistics show that accidents spike in certain parts of country during late March and early April during traditional spring and Easter break weeks. A 2015 study showed fatalities jumped nearly 10 percent. This means that drivers must be extra watchful for children, young adults and new drivers on the roads. In a nearly-tragic example, in mid-February 2018, a six-year old boy was hiking the trails near Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and was struck by a car. He suffered two broken legs and had to undergo surgery. See AJC report here.
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Kennesaw Auto Accident Attorneys: Be Patient — More Patient Than Usual
The next tip is to be patient. With all the extra cars and trucks and road construction, inevitably, there will be more traffic congestion. This can lead to frustration and very bad driving behavior. So, be patient — more patient than usual. Impatience seems to be the root cause of the hit and run near Battlefield Park. As described in the reports, traffic was stopped at a stop sign/crossing on Burnt Hickory Road. The police officers reported that the hit and run driver surged into the oncoming lane of traffic attempting to passed the stopped traffic. Fortunately, he did not hit any oncoming vehicles, but he did run down the six-year old boy in the crosswalk. He then drove into a parking lot and crashed his vehicle into a parked car in the lot. He then ran off on foot. Impatience leads to reckless driving. Bonus tip: Do not leave the scene of an accident.
Kennesaw Auto Accident Attorneys: Start Seeing Motorcyclists
In addition to being more watchful of children and youngsters playing near roadways, be more watchful for motorcyclists. Last year, there was a campaign to increase motorcycle safety with folks putting “start seeing motorcyclists” bumper stickers on their cars. That is good advice again for 2018. Motorcycles have a small “profile” so they are more difficult to see. Thus, it is important to keep track of them as you are driving. If you passed a motorcycle, remember the bike was there. Where is it now? Just last month, a young 18 year old man was killed when his motorcycle collided with a tractor-trailer on Cobb Parkway near Vaughn Road. See here.
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Kennesaw Auto Accident Attorneys: Watch for Deer and Other Big Animals
We are a bit country out here, so the deer and other animals are enjoying the warm weather too. Thus it is important to be extra watchful of deer and other animals near or crossing the road. Be particularly watchful between dusk and the early morning. Hitting a deer can be very dangerous. A motorcyclist was killed a couple of years back when she hit a deer while riding in Polk County. See here.
Kennesaw Auto Accident Attorneys: Drive More Defensively
In general, being a defensive driver is being a safer driver. Now with the roads filling up and becoming more congested, be even more of a defensive driver. If you see dangerous or reckless behavior by some other driver, slow down and otherwise avoid them. While proven Kennesaw auto accident attorneys can help you recover money damages for your injuries, it is better to not have the auto accident in the first place.
Kennesaw Auto Accident Attorneys: Get Your Vehicle Serviced and Checked
After a long winter, it is time to have your car or truck serviced and checked. Pay particular attention to:
- Windshield wipers — spring showers are on their way, so new properly functioning wipers are important
- Tires — check pressure; check for wear and tear; check for winter damage; replace when needed
- Spare tire — make sure it is fully inflated
- Alignment — how many potholes did you hit during the winter? potholes and other road hazards can cause your steering out of alignment; have it checked
- Brakes — make sure you are topped off on fluids
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Kennesaw Auto Accident Attorneys: Check Your Emergency Kits
Every Kennesaw driver should have an emergency kit and supplies. Over the winter, some of these might have gone missing or have worn out. For example, check the batteries in flashlights — FIND the flashlights. In terms of what you might need for an emergency, think about what you might need if you had to spend the night in your car waiting for rescue. In addition to flashlights, here are a few of the more important emergency supplies/items:
- Jumper cables
- Extra batteries
- Some food and drinking water — protein bars are a good option; several bottles or a gallon
- First aid kit — band-aids, pain relief, antiseptics, etc.
- Clean up towelettes, paper towels and similar items
- Water for cleanup
- Cell phone car charger
- Flares
- Blankets and some extra warm clothes
Kennesaw Auto Accident Attorneys: Don’t Drink And Drive
There is a tendency to want to “party” more now that the weather is turning nice. We here at the Roger Ghai Law Offices say “have fun.” But at the same time, do NOT then get behind the wheel of a car. That is a crime and very likely will lead to a wreck that might involve injury or death. Those injuries or deaths might be yours.
Kennesaw Auto Accidents Lawyers: Contact the Roger Ghai Law Offices
While we hope your spring travels are safe, if you are injured in a wreck — or if a loved one has been injured — contact the Kennesaw auto accident attorneys at the Roger Ghai Law Offices. Consider us YOUR auto accident lawyers. We have the litigation and trial experience to maximize the chances of full recovery. The Roger Ghai Law Offices provides legal services for the residents of Cobb County including the communities of Kennesaw, Acworth, Marietta and the surrounding areas. Click here to schedule your consultation.
Call or text (770) 792-1000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form