In March 2018, a 29-year-old man was killed on Cobb Parkway in suburban Atlanta. He was on a crosswalk in Marietta. The accident highlighted how drivers routinely flout the rights of pedestrians on Georgia crosswalks.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on how the pedestrian suffered critical injuries when he was hit by a Honda Odyssey. He died more than 24 hours later at WellStar Kennestone Hospital.
Pedestrians are the victims of far too many tragic accidents in and around Atlanta. Often drivers fail to abide by the rules when it comes to pedestrians in Georgia crosswalks.
Under Georgia code 40-6-91., a driver must stop and stay stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross the highway when the walker is on the half of the roadway the vehicle is traveling. The rule also applies if the pedestrian is approaching and is within one lane of the half of the roadway the vehicle is traveling on or turning onto. Half of the roadway is a somewhat technical term but it means all traffic lanes taking traffic in one direction of travel.
If a driver sees a pedestrian on a crosswalk, the driver cannot try to squeeze by or drive around the walker even if the driver believes there is space. The driver should not just yield. He or she should stop.
Pedestrians have responsibilities too on crosswalks, according to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. Pedestrians must not suddenly leave a curb or another safe place walk or run into the path of a car, truck, or motorcycle when it’s so close to the walker that it’s almost impossible to yield.
We associate crosswalks with markings on the road but drivers must be aware of the presence of unmarked crosswalks at intersections. When a vehicle stops at a marked or an unmarked crosswalk to allow a pedestrian to cross the road, a driver approaching from behind must not overtake the stopped car. This can be a recipe for accidents and injuries to pedestrians.
Jaywalking is not a legal term in Georgia. It refers to crossing the road when not on a crosswalk. This practice is legal in Georgia as long as pedestrians yield to traffic, states the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
Pedestrians crossing the road away from crosswalks must yield the right of way to all vehicles on the roadway unless the pedestrian has already entered the roadway under safe conditions.
Pedestrians must comply with the signals on crossings controlled by lights. When the “Don’t Walk” sign is lit, pedestrians should not start crossing the road. However, a pedestrian who has already started crossing should finish crossing while the “Don’t Walk” sign is blinking.
Walkers on Georgia crosswalks have a right to finish crossing. The “Don’t Walk” sign does not give drivers turning at greens light the right of way. Even when the light is green, turning drivers must stop and wait for pedestrians to cross the adjacent crosswalks.
If you have been injured on a crosswalk, you may have the right to sue the driver who hit you, Please contact our Georgia pedestrian accident lawyers for more information.