Macon, Georgia A New Bill Shores Up School Bus Safety in Georgia Lawyer

A New Bill Shores Up School Bus Safety in Georgia

As of the end of March 2019, all school bus drivers in Georgia may need to be vetted twice per year by public safety officials. Georgia lawmakers recently passed a bus driver safety bill in the state Senate and House. The Georgia Senate passed the bill unanimously on March 26. The bill would make a new registry of school bus drivers in Georgia, in the Department of Public Safety. The bill, HB 459, would mandate Georgia school districts to turn in the name and driver's license number of each school bus driver before they may drive a school bus. The Department of Public Safety would verify the information on every driver’s license. The agency would then call the local school board if the license was expired, cancelled or suspended. Also [...]...

Macon, Georgia Why Two is Better Than One on Georgia’s Railroads Lawyer

Why Two is Better Than One on Georgia’s Railroads

In the railroad industry today, there are usually two engineers on each freight train. But just as the automobile industry is talking about moving toward driverless technology, railroads are thinking the same. Some believe the next step for railroads could be a one-man crew with a system to monitor the engineer’s performance. But there is a bill being considered by the Georgia legislature that would require two engineers on each train, and railroad companies are not pleased. The idea of having only one engineer on a huge freight train worries some train conductors. One of those concerned is Jake Gohagan, who lives in Savannah. He was one of a group of railroad employees who visited the Capitol recently to lobby for the two-engineer bill[...]...

Macon, Georgia Why You Should Care About Drowsy Driving Prevention Week Lawyer

Why You Should Care About Drowsy Driving Prevention Week

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week Drowsy Driving Week runs from Nov. 4-11 this year and is a good reminder as the holidays approach of the vital importance of staying alert behind the wheel. The American Sleep Foundation reports that 50% of American adult drivers admit that they regularly drive when they feel tired. Approximately 20% admit to nodding off while driving in the last year. At least 40% said this happened to them at least one time in their driving lives. These alarming figures highlight just how dangerous drowsy driving is. If you fall asleep behind the wheel, not only do you risk serious injury or death for yourself -- you also could injure or kill innocent drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. In fact, many pedestrian accident[...]...

Macon, Georgia A Closer Look at Georgia’s Hands-Free Law Lawyer

A Closer Look at Georgia’s Hands-Free Law

If you are one of those Georgians who likes to text, talk and drive while on a cell phone, you will want to know about the new hands-free law that went into effect in the state in May 2018. Signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal, it is now illegal to hold your phone while driving in Georgia. Reading from a phone or using it to record video is also illegal. Drivers caught breaking the new law – even as much as tapping a Play button on a cell phone playlist when the car is in motion – will face a fine of $50. This doubles to $100 for the second offense. According to the governor’s office, the aim of the new hands-free law in Georgia is to reduce the number of driving deaths in the state due to talking, texting, and driving. ‘No on[...]...

Macon, Georgia Outdoor Workers Should Be Extra Careful This Year Lawyer

Outdoor Workers Should Be Extra Careful This Year

Disease cases due to bites from mosquitos, ticks and flea bites more than tripled from 2004-2016 in the U.S., according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Outdoor workers are at higher risk for serious health problems from these insect bites. The CDC stated (http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/) that cases of serious domestic diseases, such as dengue fever, Zika, Lyme and plague occurred more than 640,000 times in this time period. The CDC notes that state and local health departments, as well as vector control organizations, are the major defense against spread of these diseases. But it noted as well that 84% of these organizations lack vital core competencies to reduce incidence of disease: Regular mosquito s[...]...

Macon, Georgia Legal Options After Being Injured in a Bar Fight Lawyer

Legal Options After Being Injured in a Bar Fight

When bars, restaurants and nightclubs serve alcohol, they must be very careful. First, they must serve enough alcohol to earn a profit for their business. But they also cannot serve so much that they endanger patrons. After all, when people drink too much, they often get aggressive and confrontational. If you are injured in a bar fight, do you have a possible legal claim? In some cases, yes, you do. The Mann Law Firm is experienced in pursuing bar fight lawsuits. Contact us for a free consultation. Bar and Restaurant Duty of Care Bars and restaurants have what is called a duty of care. This means the owner must have a safe environment for guests and workers on the property. This includes not just maintaining the property to prevent accid[...]...

Macon, Georgia Why Motorcycle Safety Month Should Matter to All Drivers Lawyer

Why Motorcycle Safety Month Should Matter to All Drivers

When the weather warms in spring across Georgia and the South, motorcycles are everywhere on our roads.  That is why May is recognized as National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. This month with warm, sunny weather is an appropriate time to remind all drivers to be on the alert for motorcyclists. With so much motorcycle traffic on the roads, serious accidents are more likely. In 2016, 4,976 motorcycle drivers and passengers died in accidents, and 88,000 were injured. For 2009, the most recent data available, there were 140 motorcycle fatalities in Georgia. Fatalities for motorcyclists have risen 3% since 2006, and 8% since 2015. The National Safety Council also reports these concerning statistics about motorcycle accidents: Motorc[...]...

Macon, Georgia A Cautionary Tale for Self-Driving Cars Lawyer

A Cautionary Tale for Self-Driving Cars

If you have read national news in the past few weeks, you probably heard about the fatal self-driving Uber car accident in Tempe, Arizona, that killed a pedestrian. It is thought to be the first fatality caused by a fully autonomous vehicle. As self-driving cars become more common, it will be important for drivers and pedestrians to understand the risks and issues involved with these controversial vehicles. They will likely become more prevalent on Georgia roads in the coming years, and it is possible you could even be involved in an accident with one. What Happened in the Crash? A self-driving Uber Volvo SUV ran over a 49-year-old woman in Tempe as she was walking her bike across a road in mid-March 2018.  Preliminary accident informat[...]...

Macon, Georgia Will Sidewalks Make Hollingsworth Road Safer for Pedestrians? Lawyer

Will Sidewalks Make Hollingsworth Road Safer for Pedestrians?

If you are a pedestrian around Macon’s Hollingsworth Road, you know this can be a hazardous spot. Fortunately, new sidewalks are coming to the road to increase public safety. Bibb County, Georgia, commissioners recently approved addition of a sidewalk on the busy road between Log Cabin Drive and Robinson Road. At least one local resident is glad of the coming change. Marcus Thomas stated in a recent newspaper article that he depends on his bike to get around Macon. But Hollingsworth Road has been a problem because there is no sidewalk there currently. Thomas lives off the busy road, and whenever he leaves home, he must ride in the street with traffic. Thomas said the cars are numerous and travel very fast. Another local resident, Christ[...]...

Macon, Georgia Can a TBI Cause Dementia? Lawyer

Can a TBI Cause Dementia?

The brain is a fascinating structure, the complexities of which science continues to explore. “The boss of the body,” it’s the control center for thinking, emotions, perception, learning, language, remembering, and more. Damage to this essential organ can result in an assortment of physical and psychological problems. When a sudden bump, blow, or jolt to the head disrupts the brain’s functions, it is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a “traumatic brain injury” (TBI). Ranging from mild to severe, TBIs commonly arise from vehicle accidents, slip and fall accident injuries, assaults, and sports. Symptoms of a TBI are not as evident as broken bones or dislocations. They can involve vague issues such as co[...]...

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Does Workers’ Compensation Insurance Pay Lost Wages?

Learn What Benefits You are Entitled To

Does workers’ comp pay lost wages? This is an especially important concern for workers who have been injured on the job or who have become ill due to their work. The answer...