Lane Departure Car Accidents

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the majority of auto accidents involving highway fatalities are attributable to roadway departures.  These type of accidents account for thousands of crashes and wrongful deaths each year. Whether a car leaves the road, crosses the center line and causes a head-on collision, or crashes into a vehicle in the adjacent lane, the results of this type of car accident can be devastating. The attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorneys who understand how to identify the cause of complicated automobile accidents and hold the proper parties accountable to fully compensate accident victims for their injuries.

A lane departure or roadway departure car accident is defined as a non-intersection crash that occurs when a vehicle veers from the lane in which it is traveling, either by crossing the center line or edge line. These crashes can involve running off the roadway to the left or the right, or crossing the median or center line and striking an oncoming vehicle.

The people who design and build roads, including federal government and local county agencies, can take steps to decrease the incidence of lane departure accidents by increasing pavement safety.  Such actions can include improving pavement friction, employing the Safety Edge asphalt paving technique, and installing rumble strips and stripes between lanes. Reflective and retroflective signs and pavement markings can also reduce crashes by increasing nighttime visibility.  These signs and markings must be properly maintained, however, to stay effective.

All of these technologies are readily available and well-known to road construction agencies.  However, factors such as cost or time constraints may lead to a decision not to employ them. When crashes are caused by roads that are defectively designed or improperly maintained, there may be many responsible parties involved, including contractors, subcontractors, designers, engineers, and government agencies. This can cause these types of  cases to be challenging and complex.

Of course, the most well-built roads in the world cannot remove the dangers caused by drivers who negligently, or intentionally, leave their lane without first signaling or checking the traffic pattern around them. Driver error is the leading cause of a lane departure crash.   Our law firm has the knowledge, skills and experience to hold them accountable for their actions. Common examples of driver negligence causing lane departure crashes include the following:

• Fatigue
• Inattention
• Speeding
• Drunk Driving
• Inexperience
• Failure to check blind spot

The legal team at KWF knows how to investigate the cause of a lane departure crash and determine who is liable for the accident. Further, our attorneys know how to prepare and present a persuasive case for obtaining full and fair compensation to the accident victims. If you or a loved one were involved in a lane departure crash while traveling Georgia interstates such as I-75, I-85, I-20, 316 or I-95, contact Katz Personal Injury Lawyers at (404) 460-0101 for immediate assistance.