Tragic Pedestrian Crash Leaves One Dead in Columbus, Georgia (GA)
COLUMBUS, GA- Wtvm.com writes that a pedestrian died in a tragic wreck this week on Interstate 185 in Columbus. The incident took place in the northbound lanes of travel in the late evening close to the Manchester Expressway.*
While the county coroner confirmed that one person died in the wreck, the office has not yet released the identity of that individual, nor did the authorities provide information regarding the cause of the crash. The northbound lanes were closed while crews worked to clear the scene.
Georgia recently enacted a hands-free law that prevents drivers from operating their cars while using a hand-held phone or another electronic device. When the car crash statistics from 2018 were released, officials in the state credited the new law with a lower number of fatal traffic crashes in Georgia. The total number of people killed in car accidents was 1,504, indicating a decline of about 2.3 percent as compared to the prior year.
While Georgia, and the United States, experienced lower numbers of crash victims overall, the decline was not experienced in all types of traffic victims' numbers. Sadly, pedestrians in the state are dying in higher figures. Pedestrian deaths rose from 253 in 2017 to 261 in 2018. Over a five-year period, pedestrian deaths in Georgia increased by an alarming 60 percent.
According to officials, at least part of the problem is still related to phone use. The state will have to prevent both drivers and pedestrians from being distracted by their mobile devices while on the road. The report indicates that it is important for pedestrians to use crosswalks and exercise caution before entering the road.
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Sources:
https://www.wtvm.com/2020/03/23/one-person-dead-after-fatal-accident-involving-pedestrian-i-columbus/
https://www.gahighwaysafety.org/research/