Pedestrian deaths are rising across the nation, and Georgia is no exception. New statistics show that startling numbers of Georgia residents are dying in pedestrian accidents. In addition, hit-and-run accidents have become a major problem in the state and across the nation. Read on to learn more about the problem of pedestrian fatalities and drivers leaving the scene of accidents, and contact a seasoned Atlanta personal injury lawyer if you or a loved one were hurt in an pedestrian accident in Atlanta.
Pedestrian deaths in Georgia jump
According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, 111 pedestrians have been killed on Georgia’s roads in the first five months of 2018 alone. This number represents a 16% increase over the number of pedestrians killed on Georgia roads in the same period of 2017. Over the course of 2017, 260 pedestrians were killed across the state, which was an increase of 232 killed in 2016. 2017’s total number of pedestrian deaths was double the number of pedestrian fatalities in 2011.
The two counties with the highest rates of pedestrian fatalities in 2018 are DeKalb and Fulton counties. Recently, two pedestrians were killed in the Fulton and DeKalb region within seven hours of one another. The drivers in both incidents left the scene without stopping to offer assistance to the injured men.
These pedestrian deaths in Georgia are part of a larger pattern nationwide. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported earlier this year that pedestrian deaths rose 46% between 2016 and 2009, accounting for 16% of all fatal injuries on the road that year. That study also found that pedestrian accidents tended to happen away from intersections, where pedestrians were crossing without the use of a protected crosswalk. The accidents were also likelier to involve vehicles with a high horsepower rating, or SUVs, and to occur at night.
Georgia in top five states in number of hit-and-run fatalities
A separate study, conducted by AAA, found that Georgia had the fourth-highest number of fatal hit-and-run accidents in the nation. In 2016, 72 people were killed in Georgia car accidents where one driver left the scene of the accident. Nationwide, there were 2,049 such fatalities. In many cases, drivers leave the scene of a crash without providing assistance if they already have a criminal record or outstanding warrants for separate offenses, or when they’re intoxicated and fear DUI charges. Drivers who cause an accident and leave the scene of a crash are often located with the help of eyewitnesses and can not only face criminal charges, but they are also personally liable through a civil lawsuit for the harm they caused. A seasoned Atlanta personal injury lawyer can help you understand your legal options after a crash.
For assistance in getting the money damages you deserve after a Georgia pedestrian accident, contact the dedicated and effective Atlanta accident injury lawyers at the Marks Law Group today!.