A pedestrian was killed on Wednesday night at a local intersection in DeKalb County after being struck by a vehicle while crossing the street. Police say they arrived to the intersection of Covington Highway and DeKalb Medical Parkway just before 10:30 PM to find the body of a man in his 30s near the road. The vehicle involved had left the scene. At last report, investigators were working to determine the type of vehicle that was involved
Across the U.S., more than 6,500 people are killed in pedestrian accidents each year and many thousands more are injured. In its annual “Dangerous by Design” report, the organization Smart Growth America ranked Georgia ninth in the nation for states that are the most dangerous for pedestrians, with an average of 2.4 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people. In their most recent annual report, the DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office noted that it had examined 32 pedestrian deaths in a year’s time.
Around one in every five pedestrian accidents is considered a hit-and-run, as the driver involved left the scene before police arrived. Research of hit-and-run crashes shows that there are certain characteristics that are prevalent in this type of crash, including the victim’s age. When a victim is under 6 or over 80, drivers are half as likely to flee the scene as they are in crashes involving other age groups, and the drivers in hit-and-run accidents involving the youngest and oldest victims are significantly more likely to be identified. Around 70 percent of hit-and-run victims are male.
If you or your loved one was injured in a pedestrian accident, let an experienced car accident attorney from Cambre & Associates help you understand your legal options for seeking compensation for your injury. Contact us for a free case evaluation.