Champion Firm, P.C. August 2019
2675 PACES FERRY ROAD SE, SUITE 260 ATLANTA, GA 30339
Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorneys hampion Firm, P.C.
WWW.THECHAMPIONFIRM.COM 404-596-8044
AUGUST 2019
WHEN DO YOU NEED TO STOP FOR SCHOOL BUSES? FIRST DAYS AND NEW RULES
My oldest child is starting first grade this year. It’s a pretty big deal. Lizzy is really excited; she loved going to school and can’t wait to meet her new teacher. I’m happy to report that I’m not worried about her going to school at all because I got all my worry out last year.
traveling on both sides of the street to stop for a stopped school bus. The previous law was vague on this subject and implied that traffic going the opposite direction of a stopped school bus could keep moving even when children were crossing the street. Now, unless there is a median that separates the lanes, if you’re behind the wheel, you need to stop for school buses no matter what side of the street you’re on. As a parent, I’m all for this law. Sending my daughter to school is stressful enough. Our firm hopes to see a decrease in school bus-related accidents thanks to this law. I don’t have much experience with school buses as a passenger. When I was in first and second grade, I alternated between riding the bus and having my parents drop me off at school, but we moved shortly before I started third grade. Suddenly, my elementary school was within walking distance, and all the kids in our neighborhood walked or rode their bikes to school. I was a third grader biking along to school alone, which, in hindsight, is terrifying. I would never let my daughter bike to school alone!
I’ll admit, it was a little nerve-wracking when she started kindergarten. It was scary to let my daughter go to some new place where I couldn’t be with her and had to trust other people to look after her. But it’s that first stage in your kids growing up, and I’m glad Lizzy is enjoying her school experience so far. I didn’t learn to love school until I was in law school. When I was Lizzy’s age, my favorite class was P.E. because I just wanted to run around. With school starting again in August, consider this a reminder to make more time for your morning commute. The roads are going to get a bit more crowded as buses and parents start taking kids to school again. I know how frustrating it is to get stuck behind a stopped school bus when you’re running late for work, but remember to never try passing a stopped bus. This is for your safety and for the safety of any children who may be crossing the street. On that note, be aware that the laws around stopping for school buses changed earlier this year. In March 2019, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a new bill that requires all traffic “WITH SCHOOL STARTING AGAIN IN AUGUST, CONSIDER THIS A REMINDER TO MAKE MORE TIME FOR YOUR MORNING COMMUTE.”
I want to wish all the teachers, students, and parents good luck in the new school year. Here’s to safe commutes, good grades, and great memories. –Darl Champion
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Helping Humans Slow Down and Look Up
1. The Higher, the Better If you’re a city dweller, meander a little way out of town or try to find a tall building to keep the light pollution to a minimum. 2. Extra Set of Eyes While novice stargazers often want to immediately throw their money at a new telescope, astronomy experts recommend starting with binoculars instead. You’ll need to identify several anchor planets or constellations to help you navigate the sky before using a telescope. 3. Utilize Assets Put your phone to good use by downloading apps like Stellarium, Starwalk, and Google Sky Map. Each of these apps offers a unique benefit for aspiring stargazers. For example, Starwalk lets you point your phone at the sky to see stars, constellations, and planets in real time based on your location. 4. Mark Your Calendar In 1972, beloved singer-songwriter John Denver wrote about a meteor shower he witnessed during a camping trip in Colorado. He describes the scene by singing, “I’ve seen it raining fire in the sky.” The “fire” he recounted was actually the Perseids meteor shower, the most recognized shower on Earth. This astrological wonder takes place every year from July 17 to Aug. 24. During this time, viewers should be able to see shooting stars associated with the Perseids, but the shower reaches its maximum rate of activity on Aug. 12–13 this year. Grab some friends and family, and head outdoors to put your newfound stargazing knowledge to work.
Modern humans are stuck in a routine of expected and constant industriousness. But with all this rushing, people often drag themselves home at night with no energy left to enjoy the most splendid show nature has to offer: the wondrous night sky. Most people go through life looking straight ahead, but if they would stop and peer skyward, they’d bear witness to a massive, unexplored frontier made up of the moon in all its phases, burning stars sailing through the sky, constellations with epic origin stories, and meteor showers bright enough to warrant sunglasses. If you’re looking for a hobby to help you slow down and appreciate the world around you, stargazing is a great option. Here are some tips to get you started.
The Worst Intersections in Georgia DANGEROUS COMMUTES
5. Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Norcross: 17 crashes
Drivers must practice caution behind the wheel during any time of day, but with kids going back to school, we should all practice a little extra care. Our roads will be getting more crowded as school traffic joins the morning commute. Keep your eyes on the road, watch for kids and school buses, and be sure to use extra caution if your commute takes you around the dangerous intersections in metro Atlanta. In 2015, Channel 2 Action News analyzed data from 615 different intersections in metro Atlanta. Over the course of a month, these were the intersections with the most accidents: 1. Memorial Drive and North Hairston Road, Stone Mountain: 22 crashes 2. East Park Place and Stone Mountain Highway, Stone Mountain: 20 crashes 3. Covington Highway and Panola Road, Lithonia: 19 crashes 4. Cobb Place Boulevard and Earnest Barrett Parkway, Kennesaw: 18 crashes
Surprisingly, none of the most dangerous intersections were located in the city of Atlanta. This is likely because people tend to drive faster in the suburbs than they do on congested city streets. Speeding is the most common cause of car accidents, right alongside distracted driving. Since Channel 2’s report, Georgia roads have not gotten any safer. This year, from July to August, Georgia State Patrol troopers investigated 513 traffic crashes that resulted in 307 injuries and 17 fatalities. The car accident lawyers at The Champion Firm know how dangerous Atlanta roads can be. If you were injured in an accident on these intersections or anywhere else in the metro Atlanta area, call 404-596-8044 now. Our team of experienced trial lawyers knows how to win cases and fight for their clients. If your life has been hurt by someone else’s negligence, don’t wait. Get the help you deserve today.
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The most dangerous times for students to be outside are the hour before and the hour after school. More school-age pedestrians are killed during these hours than any other time of the day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. During these blocks of time, more children and commuters are on the road, and commuters aren’t always as careful as they should be. Children who walk, bike, or ride the bus to and from school must learn how to keep themselves safe. A majority of school children ride the bus, which is good news. School buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road, and school bus accidents account for less than 1% of all traffic fatalities nationwide. However, buses are not perfect. School Transportation News reports around 19 children are killed each year while getting on or off the bus. Most of these tragic accidents take place in the “danger zone,” the space 10 feet in front or behind the bus. Children are not visible in this space and can be struck by the bus or by a car illegally passing a stopped bus. Teach your children to take five large steps after exiting the bus and to wait for the bus driver’s signal before crossing the street. Lessons to Help Keep Your Child Safe Rules on the Bus
• Never go into the street while waiting for the bus.
• Line up single file and wait for the bus to stop and the doors to open before approaching the bus.
• Use the handrail while getting on or off the bus.
• If there are seat belts on the bus, use them.
• Don’t shout, roughhouse, or do anything that could distract the driver while riding the bus.
• Never stick your head, arms, or hands out the bus window.
• Stay seated until the bus comes to a complete stop.
School is back in session, so the roads are going to be busier. If your child rides the bus, make sure they know how to behave so they can make it home safely every afternoon.
Other important school bus safety rules to teach your children include:
THE CHAMPION POP QUIZ
ROASTED CORN SALSA
Congratulations to our June pop quiz champion, Russell U. , who won season passes to Six Flags White Water! This month, The Champion Firm wants to make your back-to-school shopping a little easier with a $50 gift card to Target! Just answer this question for a chance to win. Imagine you are driving and see a school bus stopped with its lights flashing on the opposite side of the road. If there is a median between you and the bus, the law requires you to stop. True or false? Email your answer to tamsie@ thechampionfirm.com for a chance to win. Submissions must be received by Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, to qualify. | 3 404-596-8044
Ingredients
• 2 medium ears of corn, shucked • 1 jalapeño or Fresno chile, seeded and thinly sliced • 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and finely chopped • 1/4 bunch cilantro leaves, sliced • Juice of 1 lime • Kosher salt, to taste 3. With a wooden spoon or potato masher, gently crush corn to release starch and juices. 4. Add jalapeño, onion, tomato, and cilantro. Mix to combine. 5. Top with lime juice and season with salt. 6. Serve alongside your favorite tortilla chips.
Directions
1. Heat a cast-iron skillet to high. Char corn, turning occasionally, for 10–14 minutes until kernels begin to blacken in spots. 2. Using a sharp knife, remove corn kernels from cobs and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
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Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Attorneys hampion Firm, P.C.
2675 PACES FERRY ROAD SE, SUITE 260 ATLANTA, GA 30339
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Bus Stops Here With These New Laws 1
2 2 3 3 4
The Art of Stargazing
Beware Memorial Drive and North Hairston Road
Is Your Child Safe on the School Bus?
Roasted Corn Salsa
Not Your Average Vacation Lodgings
AMERICA’S WEIRDEST AIRBNBS THIS AIN’ MOTEL 6!
TITLE WILL GO HERE
When Airbnb was founded a little over a decade ago, the developers hoped to provide an alternative to traditional travel
laundry. It’s a truly unique living space surrounded by pristine nature and not far from the historic Taos Pueblo.
ManCave Apartment/Airplane Hangar Geneva, Florida
accommodations. Today, with annual revenue in the billions, the service is an industry unto itself. While most people use Airbnb to “live like a local” while traveling, you
Airbnb super hosts Dan and Deborah have no shortage of quirky properties for rent — including yurts and treehouses — but their apartment fashioned out of an airplane hangar surely takes the cake. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was a theme restaurant featuring eclectic aviation. Memorabilia lines the walls with a bar front and center, and the bed is in a loft high above the ground.
can find some truly wacky lodging options if you spend some time searching the platform. Here are just a few of the many contenders for the title of “Weirdest Airbnb in the U.S.” For ease of searching, the listings here have the same titles as they do on Airbnb.
Dog Bark Park Inn B&B Cottonwood, Idaho
Brand New Studio Earthship Taos, New Mexico
As you approach the Dog Bark Park Inn, you won’t have to guess if you’re in the right place. After all, how many buildings are shaped like beagles? When describing the space on Airbnb, the hosts make no bones about who this rental is aimed for. “Stay in a giant dog!” they say. In addition to being inside a massive wooden dog, you’ll find canine- themed games, books, and more. Talk about ruffing it.
Earthships, houses run by clean energy and featuring reused materials, are a fixture of the Taos area. This one, which looks almost like a crashing wave with a living space in its undertow, combines the rustic charm of truly getting away from it all with modern amenities like Wi-Fi and in-home
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