Tragic Pedestrian Crash Kills One on Georgia 247 in Houston County, Georgia (GA)
HOUSTON COUNTY, GA- 13wmaz.com writes that a crash occurred this week in Houston County that left one person dead. The crash took place in the evening on Georgia 247 in the southbound lanes close to Green Street. The victim was identified as a 70-year-old pedestrian. Few details are currently available regarding what cause of the tragic collision.*
Throughout Georgia, pedestrian crashes have been increasing for several years. Within a five-year time period, these crashes increased by approximately 60 percent in the state. Nationally pedestrian crashes are also on the rise. Many of these accidents take place after dark. In fact, the rate of pedestrian collisions after dark is significantly higher than the rate of daytime pedestrian collisions. Poor lighting is clearly one factor contributing to the high rate of pedestrian fatalities. Although headlights are now brighter than they were in the past, studies do not indicate that LED lights our improving pedestrian or driver safety. In fact, some studies suggest that these lights create additional problems and are leading to a higher risk of crashes. Headlights are not the only safety issue making the roads more dangerous now for pedestrians than they were in recent years.
Americans tend to prefer larger vehicles as opposed to smaller sedans. Studies routinely show that SUVs, pickup trucks, and other large vehicles present greater risks to pedestrians and are more likely to lead to fatal injuries. Many hope that more safety technology will be able to prevent pedestrian crashes. Pedestrian detecting systems exist but are not yet effective at preventing most pedestrian crashes.
Another safety feature that might make the roads safer for pedestrians are external airbags. While these devices are now on some cars in Europe, there is not enough data to indicate whether external airbags can reduce the number of deadly pedestrian crashes.
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 a family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.
Sources:
https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/accident-involving-pedestrian-blocks-all-lanes-in-houston-county-on-georgia-247/93-7727a757-df6a-488d-99f0-64309be2b2a4
https://www.treehugger.com/why-are-so-many-more-pedestrians-getting-killed-night-4853127
https://www.curbed.com/2018/9/27/17909270/pedestrian-deaths-suv-car-design
https://newsroom.aaa.com/2019/10/aaa-warns-pedestrian-detection-systems-dont-work-when-needed-most/
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/new-study-suggests-todays-suvs-are-more-lethal-to-pedestrians-than-cars
https://www.gahighwaysafety.org/research/