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Interstates and highways that were once congested with traffic are now more open. While this has those who are still considered “essential” workers rejoicing during rush hour, it has also had an undesired side effect. Drivers are being tempted to speed.
Nationwide, drivers are speeding on the open roads. Some have even topped out at more than 100 m.p.h. During a two-week period, just after the stay-at-home orders were issued, Georgia State Patrol troopers wrote 140 citations for speeding at more than 100 m.p.h. These numbers do not take into effect those citations issued by local police officers and departments, who have also noted an uptick in triple-digit speeds.
The AJC reports that a Hapeville Police officer was injured in a crash caused by a driver who was allegedly speeding and lost control of his vehicle.
The incident happened on Tuesday afternoon at about 12:40 p.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 near Sylvan Road.
36-year-old officer Brian Hickman was sitting in his cruiser on the right side of the interstate. 24-year-old Myame Quiovers was allegedly speeding when he lost control of a Lexus SUV, which then slammed into Hickman’s patrol vehicle.
Hickman was knocked unconscious in the crash, but passing witnesses were able to pull him from the vehicle. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, where due to COVID-19 restrictions, his family was unable to visit him.
The impact drove Hickman’s vehicle into the vehicle in front of him. Two people inside that vehicle were injured, but their injuries did not appear to be serious.
The Lexus SUV driven by Quiovers overturned in the crash, but he walked away from the collision and declined medical treatment.
Quiovers has been charged with speeding, driving too fast for conditions, operating an unsafe vehicle, reckless driving, improper lane change, failure to wear a seatbelt, failure to maintain lane, driving on a limited permit, and violating Georgia’s Move Over Law.
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