Motor vehicle accidents can happen just about anywhere, but some cities are more dangerous than others. And while most auto accidents happen close to home (within five miles), major metropolitan cities with busy interstates account for many fatalities and numerous auto accidents resulting in catastrophic injuries.
That’s true for Atlanta, which has its share of interstates, state highways, and busy street intersections with stop-and-go traffic, speeders, large trucks, and distracted drivers.
The State of Georgia has seen a sharp increase in fatal auto accidents in recent years. In fact, these numbers have doubled in the past nine years, according to data from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Law enforcement says that this increase is due to reckless driving, including driving while impaired and distracted.
Officer Chuck McPhilamy with the Marietta Police Department has seen some of the worst motor vehicle accidents that are the result of distractions like cell phone use while driving.
“Drivers have a false sense of security that they can do whatever they would like,” McPhilamy told Atlanta TV station WXIA. He has also noticed an increase in severe car accidents caused by those who are driving while impaired.
“A gentleman was impaired and he left a club knowing that he was heavily impaired. He drove into a construction scene,” McPhilamy recounted.
In addition to impaired driving, McPhilamy commented that Georgia drivers are being reckless in other ways, like ignoring the posted speed limits and driving while distracted.
“Your head’s not in the game and you’re just not focused,” he cautioned.
Statistics Show Alarming Trend
Data from GDOT shows an alarming trend across 26 counties in the state. Last year, there were 463 fatal crashes reported. Law enforcement is urging drivers to be more aware on the roads to prevent potential tragedies.
“What we want is for everyone to agree to one set of rules for the roadway because that’s going to protect you and me… and our families,” McPhilamy stressed.
Drivers should pull off the road and remove themselves from the situation if they encounter someone driving erratically to avoid collisions and injuries.
What Are The Chances of Being Involved in a Car Accident in Atlanta?
While Offer McPhilamy is in Marietta, according to recent research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Allstate, it’s Atlanta where motorists have the greatest chance of becoming involved in a car accident. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Raleigh, North Carolina is the city where motorists have the lowest risk of becoming involved in a car crash.
The research shows that there’s a fair amount of overlap between cities where crashes are most likely to happen and cities where crashes are most likely to be deadly. But while Tucson, AZ is third on the list of cities where the fatality rate is the highest, it’s not on the list of cities where a crash is most likely to occur. The studies also show that drivers in Baltimore are involved in auto accidents more frequently than others at a rate of once every four years on average.
Although while Atlanta is one of the cities that has the highest chance of an accident occurring, when looking at the cities with the most car accident fatalities, Memphis tops the list as the most deadly: the “Home of the Blues” has a fatality rate of 34 per 100,000 people. In comparison, Atlanta is ninth with less than half the deaths (16).
Motorists may want to be aware of the relative likelihood of a crash in an urban area. The data shows the areas where the relative likelihood of an accident is highest compared with the national average. Baltimore, MD is first with a 153% relative likelihood of a collision for drivers. Atlanta comes in ninth at 50%. The relative likelihood of a crash is impacted by a number of factors, including the types of roads in the city and the habits of the city’s motorists. Number One Baltimore has several high-speed expressways that up the chances of a crash in that city. Plus, the drivers in Baltimore are consistently ranked among the worst nationwide!
Overall, Atlanta Tops the Accident List
When considering all of the research factors, Atlanta is first on the list of cities where you’re most likely to get in a car accident.
Forbes Advisor ranked cities based on the car accident fatality rate per 100,000 people, the relative likeliness of a collision, and the average years between collisions. When taking all these factors into account, Atlanta is first with 15.8 accident fatality rate per 100,000 people, an average of seven years between collisions, and a relative likeliness of a collision of 49.5%.
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