Tragic Pedestrian Crash Took Place on Interstate 20 in Atlanta, Georgia (GA)

ATLANTA, GA- Ajc.com writes that a pedestrian died this week in Atlanta in an early morning incident on Interstate 20. The victim was reportedly attempting to cross the interstate at the time. Reports indicate that another three vehicles then struck the man.*

The Georgia State Patrol reported that the motorist who first struck the pedestrian was hospitalized following the incident. So far, no charges have been filed against the driver. The authorities shut down the westbound lanes of traffic for a number of hours while the police carried out the investigation. Delays continued, and drivers were instructed to take Memorial Drive, DeKalb Avenue, or Glenwood Avenue. 

Pedestrians are dying in higher numbers in recent years, and early reports indicate an increase last year as well. About a decade ago, the total number of pedestrians killed in the United States was 4,109. By 2018, there were 6,283 deaths. The number of deaths rose by 69 percent in urban locations. Deadly nighttime pedestrian crashes increased, as did those involving alcohol impairment.

Roads are continuing to be designed that are dangerous for everyone. High-speed roadways are built despite the fact that these streets are continuing to put people walking at risk. 

In Georgia, deaths spiked by about one-third in the early months of last year. The numbers indicate an increase that is occurring much faster than the national average. There is no single explanation for the jump in fatalities. Rather, there are a number of behavioral factors, including distracted drivers, bigger cars, and people being out more walking and biking. While funding is going towards improving road design, safety advocates say that the efforts are still inadequate.  

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333), or simply dial #WIN (#946) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:

https://www.ajc.com/news/traffic/traffic-alert-deadly-pedestrian-accident-shuts-down-atlanta/jYaq22792fqP5gt6YodGyL/

https://www.ajc.com/news/more-and-more-pedestrians-being-killed-america-roadways/TxeQUCVo7gL4AumX7IxniM/