According to data gathered by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, car accidents involving pedestrians (including bicyclists) are on the rise across the entire nation. Some statistics supporting this conclusion include the following.
- On average, 15 people die each day in pedestrian accidents
- Fatal pedestrian accidents rose more than 9 percent from 2014 to 2015
- Between 2006 and 2015, pedestrian accidents rose from 11 percent to 15 percent of all traffic-related fatalities
As the data shows, truck and car accidents involving pedestrians are a huge problem across the nation. Now, it is time to take a look at data concerning pedestrian accidents in the state of Georgia.
- Pedestrian deaths occupied 15 percent of all vehicle-involved fatalities in Georgia during 2015
- Between 2008 and 2015, pedestrian fatalities in Georgia increased at an unsteady rate
- Pedestrian deaths rose by more than 18 percent between 2014 and 2015
As stated earlier, bicyclists are also at risk of experiencing fatal traffic accidents. In Georgia, fatal accidents involving bicycles made up 1.6 percent of all deaths occurring in 2015. Most of these fatal incidents occurred during the hours of 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Combining the pedestrian and bicycle data reveals a growing problem in Georgia and the rest of the country. Pedestrians and bicyclists are not as safe as many people may believe. One way to improve awareness about how truck and car accidents endanger pedestrians as well as motorists is to pursue justice through the legal system when death or catastrophic injury occurs.
When the citizens of a nation unite in the goal of accountability for negligent behavior, those who choose to disregard both law and safety may begin to rethink their reckless behavior. An injury attorney can fill an important and supportive role for those who decide to take legal action.