Pedestrians are especially vulnerable when they’re involved in a traffic accident. Individuals in a car will at least have the outside of their vehicle protecting them from the direct impact of another vehicle. Pedestrians are not that lucky. If a car hits a pedestrian, the danger of severe injury is very high. It’s also easier for a driver to not see them if they are not paying close enough attention to their surroundings.

In Georgia, the danger to pedestrians traveling among vehicles is very real. Local news outlets have observed the increasing amount of pedestrian accidents in Georgia this year. The number of pedestrians who have been killed in traffic accidents in 2018 is already up 16 percent from last year. As of June 2018, 111 pedestrians have been killed in the state of Georgia.

The danger to pedestrians is not limited to Georgia. Pedestrian deaths in accidents have climbed 46 percent since 2009 across the United States. Studies have shown that the accidents are most common in cities or suburbs and are also most likely to involve SUVs and occur in the evening.

The Increase in Pedestrian Deaths in Georgia

In 2017, 260 pedestrians were killed on the roads of Georgia. This is a significant increase from the 2016 number. 232 pedestrians were killed in 2016. The amount of pedestrians killed in car accidents makes up a considerable portion of the overall fatalities in traffic accidents. In 2015, the deaths from car accidents involving pedestrians made up 13.5 percent of the total fatalities.

  When you look at the state statistics kept by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, you can easily observe the nationwide trends in pedestrian deaths in car accidents. Since 2009, there has been a considerable increase in the number of pedestrians killed in car accidents. In 2009, under 150 pedestrian fatalities occurred in car accidents.

The fatal accidents in which pedestrians are frequently involved occur in the most densely populated areas of Georgia. Dekalb County and Fulton County are the top two counties in which pedestrian fatalities occur. These two counties are part of the Atlanta metro. Eight percent of the pedestrian fatalities in the state occurred in Fulton County. Dekalb County was home to another five percent of the total fatal pedestrian accidents in the state of Georgia. Between the two counties, they are where 13 percent of the total fatal pedestrian accidents have occurred.

Need a Lawyer for Your Georgia Pedestrian Accident?

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a Georgia pedestrian traffic accident, you could be facing a massive amount of medical bills following the accident. If the injuries are severe enough, you may be facing lost wages as a result of the inability to work. A lawyer can help you determine if you are eligible for damages after your accident. Contact The NYE Law Group to learn more about the next steps you can take.