A 74-year-old woman was killed in a four-vehicle crash on I-85 in DeKalb County Sunday morning. According to a report from 11Alive, the accident occurred just before 5 AM at the North Druid Hills Road exit. The woman was found dead in the roadway, the report noted, adding that all northbound lanes of the interstate were closed as officers investigated and cleared the scene.
According to a study published by the Highway Safety Information System, a substantial proportion of accidents that occur on interstates happen on or near exit or entrance ramps. While interchanges constitute less than 5 percent of total freeway mileage, they account for about a fifth of all interstate accidents, and about half of all exit-ramp-related accidents are caused by drivers who are attempting to exit.
Exit ramp accidents tend to be more serious than accidents involving entrance ramps, due to the frequent lane-changing maneuvers and merging activities by drivers moving at freeway speeds while attempting to get over to the exit. Some of the factors that increase the likelihood of accidents on or near the exit ramp include the presence of teen or elderly drivers, alcohol-impaired drivers, and commercial trucks in the area.
Teen drivers often struggle with the experience required for the additional maneuvering involved in exiting the freeway, while elderly drivers can experience visual declines and slowed reaction times that make exiting difficult. Alcohol impairment creates a number of difficulties in a driver’s ability to safely operate their vehicle, including slower reactions, an inability to control speed, and difficulty making good driving decisions. Commercial trucks have significant blind spots that make it difficult for the driver to see other vehicles driving in front of, behind, or alongside the vehicle, They also have an increased stopping distance after the driver has braked due to the massive weight of the vehicle.
If you have been injured on an area interstate as a result of another driver’s negligence, an experienced car accident attorney from Cambre & Associates can help you understand your legal options for seeking compensation for the expenses and impacts of your injury. Contact us for a free case evaluation.