If you are in a major auto accident in a small Georgia city such as Valdosta, or Dalton, you have an increased risk of death.
That’s because the state cannot afford to fully fund trauma centers that make every second count when they are treating a badly injured accident victim.
But the state is coming up with a creative solution to funding those vital centers. Soon, it really may not pay to be a “Super Speeder” in Georgia, according to a report. Those who drive fast on the state’s highway are facing an increased fine of $200.
The proposal is a good one because it solves two problems at once.
First, it would encourage speeders to slow down. Secondly, the extra money, about $30 million a year, would fund the state’s ailing network of hospitals that take trauma cases.
Georgia lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully for three years to pay for the trauma centers, which are operating in the red.
Drivers busted for going over 85 miles per hour on a four-lane road would face a $200 fine as would those going over 75 mph on a two-lane road.
The proposal, backed by Gov. Purdue, now goes to the Senate for approval.
As skilled auto accident attorneys in Jacksonville at Farah and Farah, we see the impact a car accident, that happens in a moment of time, can have on an entire family. Every second counts in saving lives.
Having a trauma center in smaller cities could save an estimated 700 lives every year.
Since about three-quarter of traumas result from motor vehicle accidents, using the money for that purpose sounds like a win-win for injured motorists and the state.
