Most people in Georgia are aware that driving after consuming alcohol is not safe as a driver’s ability to concentrate and react are both diminished. Driving beyond the stated speed limit is another behavior that is unsafe as posted speed limited are determined as a means of protecting people. Unfortunately, there are many drivers who simply choose to ignore these realities. Instead, they make the reckless choice to drive drunk, to speed or even to do both at the same time.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol and excessive speed claimed the lives of 366 and 248 people, respectively in 2017 throughout the state of Georgia. The number of people killed at the hands of drunk or speeding drivers that year is far greater than in 2013 when 296 drunk driving fatalities and 197 speed-related deaths were recorded statewide. The overall number of traffic fatalities also increased in those five years.
In northern Georgia, a total of 68 people was killed in motor vehicle accidents in Whitfield County between 2013 and 2017. Of those deaths, alcohol was a contributing factor in 16, more than in any other neighboring county. Speed was involved in 16 of the deaths. Only Murray County recorded more fatalities involving speed in those five years, with 18 such deaths.
If you would like to learn more about how you or someone you know can get help after being involved in a serious motor vehicle accident caused by a speeding or drunk driver, please feel free to visit the crash compensation and assistance page of our Georgia personal injury website.