Third Party Responsibility In Holiday Car Accidents

According to the American Safety Council, after the 4th of July, Thanksgiving is the second most dangerous holiday, with more than 500 people dying on U.S. roads during the holiday period. This is likely due to a number of factors, including distracted, fatigued, and rushed driving, as well as some choosing to engage in irresponsible behavior, such as drinking and driving. Sadly, the holidays – and the days surrounding them – are some of the deadliest for fatal car accidents here in Macon, Georgia as well, as highlighted by some of the recent, devastating accidents that we’ve experienced in our community, including tragedies involving drunk drivers.

Some families of those killed in these tragedies choose to file wrongful death lawsuits, and additional parties can, in some circumstances, be joined in this litigation if they hold any responsibility in the accident. For example, if a rental car company rents a car to a driver with a record of DUIs, or police, as officers/agents of the city, ignore signs that someone is a public safety threat in an encounter with them and allow them to continue to drive, etc., it can be argued that this negligent behavior either contributed to or was a direct cause of the accident (and loss) at hand.

Lawsuit Against Kia Corp.

Another current example of this third party litigation with respect to Thanksgiving holiday accidents involves a lawsuit against automaker Kia Corp. in connection with a holiday accident involving one of the automaker’s stolen SUVs, which was stolen by a teenager two days before Thanksgiving. The SUV was then involved in a high-speed crash that killed the four teenage passengers, and those families are now suing Kia, claiming that their children would be alive if the company made it more difficult for their cars to be stolen.

According to some reports, Kias are stolen at a rate of nearly twice that of other vehicles  because their keys lack “theft immobilizer” computer chip systems. Sadly, as a result, a number of teens around the country are currently participating in what’s known as the “Kia challenge,” which involves breaking into and stealing Kia cars by using cell phone chargers, USB cords, and screwdrivers. The lawsuit claims that Kia is guilty of negligence and creating a public nuisance by failing to include anti-theft devices on their vehicles, as well as failing to notify the public once that the company became aware that this was an issue. Kia has since announced that it will add this anti-theft feature starting with models that come out this year (2022).

Macon, Georgia Car Accident & Wrongful Death Attorneys

If you or a loved one has suffered due to someone else’s negligent driving, we are here for you. Contact our Macon car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Buzzell, Welsh & Hill today for a free consultation to find out how we can help.

Sources:

newschannel9.com/news/local/mother-5-year-old-killed-in-wrong-way-crash-on-i-75-in-georgia-on-thanksgiving

whsv.com/2022/11/23/teenage-driver-charged-crash-stolen-suv-that-killed-4/