In an in-depth Marietta Daily Journal article dated February 8-9, 2025, Cobb County’s, Georgia’s, and the nation’s problem of pedestrian vs. motor vehicle accidents was covered. Rather than do a “book report” on the article, here are
Top 10 Takeaways About Crosswalk Danger Data
1. In 2024 alone, 14 pedestrians were killed by motor vehicles in Cobb County while per Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) data, between 2013 to 2023, 168 pedestrians were killed.
2. Across the United States, from 1980 to 2010, pedestrian fatalities steadily decreased, but then started rising nearly every year through 2022 with 7,737 pedestrian deaths in 2022 alone.
3. The data in No. 2 correlates with an increased use of cell phones by both drivers and pedestrians. 53% of all car crashes had at least one driver confirmed or suspected of being distracted according to the GDOT.
4. Georgia defines a ‘fatal pedestrian crash’ as one where someone dies as a result of their injuries within 30 days of the crash. A ‘serious injury crash’ is on where the injured person cannot walk, drive, or continue normal activities which they could beforehand.
5. Not surprisingly due to the physics of speed and mass, and the disparities of heavy metal meeting flesh and bone, though pedestrian-vehicle crashes make up less than 1% of Cobb crashes from 2018 through 2022, they make up 9% of all fatal and serious injury crashes.
6. Also not surprisingly, light is a big factor with 71% of the Cobb County pedestrian-vehicle crashes occurring when its dark out, and this percentage further breaks down showing 45% of the crashes occurring where there are no streetlights. (It was not clear to me what was the time frame for this data.)
7. Per GDOT data, of Cobb’s 168 pedestrian deaths from 2018 to 2023, the weather was clear 62% of the time, the road dry 80% of the time, and DUIs were implicated just 3% of the time.
8. For these 168 deaths, 58% of the time the pedestrian was outside the crosswalk and in the crosswalk 9% of the time. Other times they were on the side of the road or “darting into traffic.” However, transportation policy activist Matt Stigall contends pedestrians should not be blamed when they’re forced to navigate infrastructure designed for cars, as well as roads with no sidewalks, and crosswalks being few and far between.
9. Cobb County has several hotspots where the majority of the pedestrian-vehicle accidents occur including a 1/2 mile stretch of South Marietta Parkway between Fairground Street and Aviation Road, and a 1.5 mile stretch of Austell Road between Sandtown Road and County Services Parkway.
10. Though not data per se, Marietta Police Department spokesman Officer Chuck McPhilamy points out that there is lifelong trauma that goes along with these accidents when injured pedestrians, drivers and first responders have to see things most of us fortunately never have to witness.
Some Near Miss Crosswalk Stories
In Georgia, several laws within Title 40 regulate crosswalks, pedestrians and motor vehicles, and who has the right of way and when. But whether a pedestrian or truck is or isn’t following the law, it’s common sense that it’s not a fair fight when the two collide. Anecdotally, my wife was in a crosswalk with the signal allowing her the right of way when a police car almost ran her down. It didn’t have its blue lights or sirens going. Thankfully she was not run over, but in this instance, the officer driving the police car didn’t even stop to apologize. He just kept going.
Now, to tell on myself, I was turning left not too long ago and almost hit a pedestrian who had the right of way. I was not looking at my phone or messing with anything in my car. I was just not paying attention and, while not an excuse, the pedestrian was wearing drab, colorless clothing. But, thank Jesus, I did see her before a tragedy occurred. I rolled down my window and apologized profusely. She said, “That’s okay, dear.” Dang. We were both lucky.
When Its Car vs. Pedestrian, Guess Who Usually Wins
If you are crossing a street, assume the drivers aren’t paying attention. We’ve heard about, if not practiced, defensive driving. But we need to also practice defensive walking. There are so many drivers out there looking at their phones, fiddling with their navigations systems, or just thinking about something besides what they’re supposed to be doing – safely navigating a vehicle weighing maybe a couple or even several tons. I’m guilty of all of the above mentioned sins, but am trying to be less of the distracted, irresponsible buffoon I’ve been. As for the pedestrians out there, if you’re anywhere near where a car or truck might be, even when you’re on a seemingly safe sidewalk, or you clearly have the right to cross a street, be alert and have your head on a swivel if you want to keep it.