Georgia pedestrian deaths rising despite lower traffic
Evidence continues to mount that 2020 was a horrible year for traffic fatalities despite a big drop in the number of vehicles on the road.
Pedestrian deaths nationwide rose .2 percent to 2,957 in the fist six months of the year despite a dramatic decrease in traffic as schools and businesses shuttered amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report released today by the Governors Highway Safety Association, a traffic safety group.
Pedestrian deaths in Georgia rose 4 percent to 113 in the first half of 2020, though state officials have said traffic volumes fell as much as 50 percent on some state highways.
That mirrors a broader trend that saw rising traffic fatalities in 2020. The Georgia Department of Transportation says speeding in lighter traffic, a lack of seat belts, impaired driving and other factors played a role in rising traffic deaths.
The GHSA report says pedestrian deaths rose 46 percent nationwide between 2010 and 2019, compared to 5 percent for all other traffic fatalities. The report recommends a variety of approaches – including traffic enforcement and education – to stem the rising tide of fatalities.
You can read the full report here.
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
