On Monday night, the Atlanta City Council passed two ordinances in order to prohibit drive-throughs, drive-in services, and gas stations near the BeltLine. According to a report from 11 Alive, the action was taken in order to promote pedestrian safety in the area. Council member Jason Dozier —on of the sponsors of the legislation—noted that the number of pedestrians struck and killed by cars in Atlanta more than doubled between 2021 and 2022. Black pedestrians are more than twice as likely to be involved in fatal accidents than other ethnic groups.
The ordinance included state statistics, noting that Georgia is one of the ten deadliest states for pedestrians, and the BeltLine area has a high number of pedestrian accidents. Since 2015, 47 pedestrians have been seriously injured in the area, with 25 of those accidents occurring within the last two years. 14 pedestrians have been killed in BeltLine accidents since 2015, with eight fatalities there in two years.
The report noted that many restaurants in the BeltLine area have wanted to provide drive-through options as development increases. However, armed with information about the accidents that have occurred there, council members stated that the new laws would help protect black and brown communities who are a part of the next phase of BeltLine developments. Drive-through and drive-in facilities would create congestion and decrease the incentives for community members to walk, the council members stated. Further, those features do not align with the 22-mile Atlanta BeltLine project.
If you were injured in a pedestrian accident in the BeltLine area or throughout the Atlanta region, let an experienced car accident lawyer from Cambre & Associates help you understand the personal injury claims process that you can use to seek compensation for the expenses and impacts of your injury. Contact us for a free case evaluation.