According to a report from WSB-TV 2, family members held a vigil Sunday evening for a woman who was killed in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident on GA 279/Old National Highway. Police arrived at the scene at around 3:50 AM on Saturday, October 15, to find the woman suffering serious injuries. She was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she later died. There was no vehicle present at the scene, and police were still unsure of the year, make, and model of the vehicle that struck the woman at the time of the report’s publication.
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety reports that while pedestrians on the state’s roadways account for fewer than one percent of all roadway users, they account for 19 percent of all traffic fatalities. In a year’s time, the number of fatal pedestrian crashes in Georgia increased 18 percent, with more than 250 pedestrians killed. 58 percent of all Georgia pedestrian fatalities occur within the Atlanta region. Around 80 percent of all pedestrian fatalities and over half of all pedestrian injuries occur on roadways where the posted speed limit is over 40 miles per hour. In one year, Georgia taxpayers footed a $172 million bill for pedestrian hospitalization and emergency room charges.
Nationally, pedestrian deaths have increased 59 percent since 2009, and around one in five pedestrian fatalities involved a driver who fled the scene of the accident. Hit-and-run accidents are more common between the hours of midnight and 4 AM, when there is less visibility and a greater chance of the driver’s escape. About half of all hit-and-run drivers are eventually identified. For instance, a Marietta man was struck by a car outside his own home, highlighting the dangers pedestrians face even in seemingly safe environments.
In another unfortunate incident, a man was arrested for a second time after the victim died of hit-and-run injuries. This case underscores the severe consequences and legal implications of hit-and-run accidents.
Additionally, pedestrians are not the only victims of reckless driving. A mother and her children were struck by a rideshare driver at the airport, illustrating the broad spectrum of pedestrian-related accidents and the need for increased safety measures.