New Marietta Traffic Roundabout Highlights Issue of Unsafe Roadways
Marietta plans to start constructing the city's first traffic roundabout by the end of the year. The project at Fairground Street and Allgood Road is schedule to be open to traffic in spring 2012. The construction project is a reaction to public safety, highway engineer and law enforcement experts who concede that the intersection is confusing, which results in traffic backups and auto accidents.
One police officer, who travels through the intersection on a daily basis, indicated that traffic routinely backs up at the intersection because drivers are confused how to proceed and about whom has right of way when they reach the intersection. Cars enter the T-shaped intersection from the east and west on Allgood, and from the north end of Fairground. While cars traveling east and north have stop signs, there are no stop signs or traffic signals for westbound traffic from Cobb Parkway.
A study by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that poor road designs account for more than 23 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities each year. It has also been estimated that poorly designed roads and intersections cause at least 8,000 fatalities annually. The most dangerous road designs involve intersections with inadequate signs, blind spots, and confusing lanes, which account for two-thirds of all fatal crashes caused by dangerous roads. At Montlick and Assocates, Attorneys at Law, we have been representing drivers of passenger cars, pickup trucks, vans and SUVs as well as bicyclists and pedestrians injured in serious accidents on poorly designed roads for over 39 years. We are glad to see that this dangerous intersection is being redesigned but also recognize that there are many more poorly designed intersections and unsafe roads throughout Georgia.
A public entity may be liable for injuries suffered in a motor vehicle collision that results from a poorly designed and confusing intersection or roadway. An experienced Georgia dangerous roads auto accident attorney will look at traffic patterns, past accident statistics, public records and police accident reports to establish that a public entity knew or should have known of the hazards posed by an intersection or roadway and failed to take reasonable measures to make it safe for drivers and pedestrians. If you suffer serious injury or a loved one suffers wrongful death because of a roadway or intersection that is confusing or otherwise unsafe, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. It is important to keep in mind that there are legal time deadlines for bringing claims, and those deadlines are shorter when you are bringing a claim against a government entity. Failure to bring a claim within the applicable deadline results in the loss of your rights, so it is important to always consult an experienced Georgia auto accident attorney without delay.
Our experienced Georgia dangerous intersection and unsafe roads auto accident attorneys are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located we are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.