Pedestrian/cyclist crashes are a common occurrence in Atlanta. Last year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on how a child was struck by a vehicle as it backed out of a residential area at Stanton Road in southern Atlanta in October.
The AJC reported the driver exited his car and checked on the child. He did not appear to be injured so he gave him a popsicle. However, the child was later checked out at Grady Memorial Hospital where he was found to have injuries to his arm and right foot.
The driver was subsequently cited for leaving the scene of an accident. It’s a misdemeanor that carries a fine up to $1,000.
The AJC highlighted that accident among more than 70 police reports that related to crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians in the City of Atlanta. These accidents occurred in October alone.
An analysis of the reports found 49 accidents involved pedestrians, 13 involved bicyclists and four people in a wheelchair. Six collisions involved children and three involved a law enforcement officer, according to reports obtained from the Atlanta Police Department, the Brookhaven Police Department, and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
The accidents studied led to 19 citations given to drivers and 17 to pedestrians and bicyclists. In 15 of the accidents, no citation was given while culpability was not apparent from some of the other reports.
Pedestrian/cyclist crashes in Atlanta
Our Georgia car accident lawyers are often asked if a claim can still be made if a citation was not given to another driver. The answer is yes. A driver does not need to have been given a citation to be sued.
Drivers in Atlanta have an issue with crosswalks. The most common citation found by the AJC was the failure to yield with a pedestrian in a crosswalk. The investigation found 14 citations handed out over the month. If you fail to yield at a crosswalk you can face a $132 fine and three points on your license, according to the Municipal Court of Atlanta. More seriously, you could kill or seriously injure a pedestrian.
Drivers must stop and stay stopped for pedestrians at crosswalks under Georgia law.
The AJC report noted some weird citations including wearing a device, like headphones or earbuds, that impairs your hearing while riding a bicycle
More seriously, at least 11 hit and run scenarios were recorded last October, an increase of at least seven since last month. There was one death.
In recent years, fatalities have been on the rise in Georgia, with the Atlanta metropolis accounting for many deaths. Statistics released last year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found the number of traffic deaths in 2016 in Georgia rose almost 6 percent compared with the previous year to 37,461.
In Atlanta, the busy traffic areas of Midtown and downtown Atlanta recorded the most crashes.
Find more about car accident injuries on our website. If you or a family member has been hurt, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit. Please call our Newnan injury lawyers at (404) 913-1529.