Gridlock Guy: Safety tips for interstate breakdowns

Unfortunately, quite often in my job as a traffic reporter I have to cover incidents where pedestrians are struck by vehicles. Most of the time they occur on busy surface streets where heavy pedestrian traffic is expected. They happen with some regularity. Sometimes the injuries are minor, sometimes serious, and often times fatal. It is rare however that I report on a pedestrian being hit by a car on the freeway.

That was, until last week.

Twice last week during the morning rush hour, I reported on pedestrians being struck and killed on the interstates. On Tuesday morning a pedestrian was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer in Henry County and on Friday morning a pedestrian was struck and killed on Interstate 85 in Gwinnett County.

Friday’s incident was particularly troubling.

A 23-year old woman died on I-85 north of Ga. 316.

“Apparently, she was having some sort of altercation with the driver, which caused the driver to pull over,” Gwinnett County Police Sgt. Wes Barnhart said. “The deceased, who was intoxicated, got out and began to walk up I-85 northbound.”

She didn’t make it far.

“She made it about 300 feet up the road before she was hit,” Barnhart said.

Two people struck and killed on the interstates in a matter of days. God forbid you or I are ever in a position to be walking on the freeway. Certainly no safe place for a pedestrian. But, what if we have no choice? What if our car dies, what should we do then?

“You never want to be a sitting target,” Senior Trooper Larry Schnall of the Georgia State Patrol told me. “If at all possible, try to get off the roadway as far as possible.”

That means pull off as far into the grass as possible. The farther you are away from the roadway, the better.

What if your car dies in the middle of the freeway?

“Exit the vehicle if you can,” Schnall said. “Turn your hazard lights on and exit your vehicle quickly, alertly, safely, and as cautiously as possible.”

Thankfully most drivers are able to maneuver their cars or trucks to the side of the road before it becomes immobile. Even in an emergency lane, standing outside your vehicle can be a dangerous proposition. Trooper Schnall suggests calling the authorities as soon as possible.

“You want to get as far off the roadway as possible, use hazard lights or any other type of emergency light you have,” Schnall said. “The first thing you should do is to contact a HERO unit, Georgia State Patrol or 911. Any of these three public services are typically very fast responders.”

If a phone is not available?

“Try to alert traffic. Grab a white towel, white shirt or rag and try to alert passing motorists that you are in trouble,” Schnall said. “More than likely we will get calls that someone needs help.”