Pedestrian fatalities on rise in Georgia.

Since 2008, the number of pedestrian fatalities in Georgia has increased by 20 percent, and the number of fatalities could grow by year’s end.

Nationally, pedestrian fatalities are taking up an ever larger share of overall traffic fatalities, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. That’s because motor vehicle fatalities have been on a steady decline with the emergence of safer cars, as well as law enforcement crackdowns on not wearing seat belts and driving drunk.

About half of pedestrian deaths in Georgia occur in the metro Atlanta area. To read more about what is being done in the state to reduce the number of people being struck by motor vehicles, pick up this Sunday’s edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution or visit myajc.com.