When you get up in the morning and start getting ready for your daily commute, one of the last things you expect to happen is that you’ll be involved in a serious auto accident on the drive you make every day. Unfortunately, this is the reality for many drivers in Atlanta and the surrounding area.
Fulton County saw reports of about 150 accidents daily between 2014 and 2018. With such a high frequency of accidents, it’s no surprise that some of these accidents do involve pedestrians. For those that are involved in an accident while walking through, an Atlanta, Georgia pedestrian accident attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve to help you through this incredibly traumatic event.
Car Accidents in Atlanta, Georgia
On average, there is 1 accident every 4 hours in Atlanta, with about ⅓ of all accidents resulting in injuries. Atlanta is the largest city in Fulton County, and because there are so many traffic accidents within the city of Atlanta, Fulton has a really high accident rate. In 2018, Fulton County saw a total of 45,499 car accidents, some of which happened on a national highway.
Dangerous Atlanta Intersections
- Memorial Drive and N Road: This is one of the most dangerous intersections in the state, with around 2 dozen accidents per month.
- Stone Mountain Highway and East Park Place Boulevard: This intersection gets very busy, with a 6-lane road and an 8-lane road crossing. Over one month, 21 accidents occurred at this location.
- Lithonia Road and Covington Highway: In a one-month period, just under 20 accidents occurred.
- Medlock Bridge Road and State Bridge Road: With 16 lanes of traffic crossing at this intersection, this intersection sees about 15 collisions per month.
- Venture Drive and Steve Reynolds Blvd.: This has been a problem area for years.
- Monroe Drive and Piedmont Ave.: This busy intersection adjacent to Ansley Mall sees regular collisions within the narrow lanes in the area.
How You Can Stay Safe Driving Around Atlanta
Driving is a big responsibility because there are so many things that can go wrong when you are behind the wheel of a vehicle. There is no way that we can control other people that are on the road, but there are some common dangerous driving practices you can avoid that will help keep you safe when you’re driving around Atlanta, including:
- Aggressive driving
- Disobeying traffic laws
- Driving while distracted (texting, talking on the phone, etc.)
- Following the car in front of you too closely
- Driving while intoxicated
- Driving drowsy
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
What to Do if You’re in an Accident in Atlanta, Georgia
If you have just been in one of the many car accidents that happen at dangerous intersections in or around the Atlanta metro area, there are some things to remember to do, and not to do, in order to best protect yourself and any potential personal injury claim you may need to file.
Gather Yourself & Call for Help
Once things have stopped, immediately check yourself and your companions for any potentially life-threatening injuries while you begin to contact emergency services. While giving them the details of where you are and requesting police and medical transport, ensure you are not in the middle of one of the many busy intersections in the area but do not try to move if you are injured seriously.
Begin Gathering Evidence
While awaiting police and ambulances, you should immediately begin documenting the scene if you are able. Take pictures and videos of everything you can, from the vehicles to the weather conditions and surroundings.
These will be useful later on, if you cannot physically do it due to injury, ask someone close to you for help. This is going to be even more important if the driver at fault was not paying attention or committed one of the many distracted driving offenses.
Share Info, Don’t Chat
The most important thing to remember while talking to other people is to not say anything that can potentially be used against you later. This includes apologizing out of politeness, outright admission of any fault, or even mentioning that you feel alright. Do not discuss any of this with anyone other than your Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyer.
Get the personal and insurer information for the driver or drivers involved, and be sure you give them yours. By this time, in many cases, the police officer will be done making their initial report and may give you a copy, if not you will need to get one from the local authorities.
Get Checked Out
Your adrenaline along with the shock that you’re likely feeling are suppressing any pain and discomfort that may otherwise be present so you probably won’t feel much initially, even with serious injuries. This means that you should immediately get to a hospital or other medical facility to be checked out and have existing injuries documented. Documenting the injuries will be crucial to recovering any monetary compensation.
Get Experienced Help
There is no smarter thing to do after being injured than to speak to an experienced and knowledgeable injury lawyer. They will help you to build a strong case that will be difficult for the insurance company to minimize, delay, or deny. They can help keep your claim moving and get you the compensation you may be entitled to.
Have You Suffered Injury at One of Atlanta’s Dangerous Intersections?
If you or someone you love has been injured as a pedestrian in one of the many dangerous traffic light intersections in the Atlanta area, one of the first things you should do is reach out to a qualified pedestrian accident attorney.
In most cases, an experienced personal injury attorney will take your case on contingency, meaning you will only pay them if you win. Contact our office today to speak to a qualified attorney.
