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Pedestrian accidents are rising nationally, and there may be one culprit that can be blamed: SUVs. Fatal collisions involving SUVs and pedestrians rose 81% between 2009 and 2016. At the same time, fatal collisions between pedestrians and cars went up 41%. Pedestrian versus truck fatalities went up 32% and pedestrian and van collisions that resulted in a fatality rose 15%. Cars are still the number one cause of pedestrian versus auto deaths, but the rise in SUV-related deaths cannot be ignored. Accidents between pedestrians and SUVs may be more likely to be fatal than accidents involving pedestrians and cars.
The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reports on a weekend that was marked by pedestrian fatalities across the Atlanta area.
In the 22-hour period that began on the night of Friday, August 15th, and ended on Saturday, August 16th, 4 pedestrians were killed and 3 were injured. The accidents occurred in Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, and Fulton counties.
The first incident occurred in Athens, when 74-year-old Patricia Barker was stuck by a Honda Odyssey as she attempted to cross West Broad Street and Briarcliff road at about 10:30 p.m. She later died at a hospital from her injuries.
At about 11:00 p.m., a second fatality occurred in Atlanta at Moreland Road and Custer Avenue. 40-year-old Dondrill Tye was struck and killed in a hit-and-run accident.
The third incident occurred in Clayton County and involved a stolen delivery vehicle that struck three pedestrians. One of the pedestrians was treated for head trauma.
About an hour after the Clayton County incident, a pedestrian was hit outside Memorial Bend Shopping Center. 63-year-old Borislav Jovicic was struck by a vehicle. The driver and several witnesses stopped. Jovicic later died at Grady Memorial Hospital.
Cobb police are investigating a crash where a man, identified as 64-year-old Clarence E. Martin, was struck as he tried to cross South Cobb Drive. He was pronounced dead at Kennestone Hospital.
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