Atlanta’s Connector May Be a Contributing Factor to Vehicle Accidents

If you live or work in the Atlanta metro you’re very familiar with the traffic patterns. This includes those stretches of highway that make you feel like your day has come to a grinding halt because you’re stuck crawling along.

This stop and go traffic can also help create the perfect storm for auto wrecks or truck accidents to happen. Everyone has somewhere to be but there will always be people on the road who think their reason is more important. Drivers of semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles become agitated because they have delivery schedules to keep that can affect their livelihood. Travelers moving through the area who get caught up in the sea of traffic just want to make it to their destination to rest. Parents needing to pick up their kids from daycare become impatient. Any of these scenarios can end in injury.

The danger of the Atlanta Connector

According to KAKE.com, Georgia ranks seventh in the country for states where people do the most driving. The average Georgian drives 12,496 miles per year. The population of the entire state of Georgia is 10.6 million people. With just over 6 million of those citizens living in the Atlanta metro, there’s an awful lot of driving being done primarily in one central area. The Connector in downtown Atlanta holds the record for having the fifth worst congestion in the country with drivers spending a whopping 64 hours a year stuck on the interchange.

Accidents on the Connector contribute to traffic jams and can exacerbate typical rush hour congestion. At times, these accidents require lanes to be shut down and traffic has to be diverted. This means further unexpected delays and frustration for drivers who are forced to find another route.

• In March, just as evening rush hour traffic ended, a fatal crash occurred on the Connector causing multiple lanes to become blocked and traffic having to be diverted to I-20.
• In April, a hit and run killing two victims on the Connector caused significant delays just before morning rush hour.
• In May, the Connector was shut down for three hours after a vehicle lost control during rush hour causing a fatal accident.
• In June, an SUV made a U-turn facing the wrong direction on the Connector causing a head-on collision. The driver of the other vehicle died, and all four lanes were shut down for four hours.

What are the risks of rush hour driving?

When you’re already in a hurry, being pushed further behind creates added pressure that often pushes drivers to engage in behavior that endangers others on the road. People are sitting so they become more easily distracted while waiting for traffic to flow. When it begins to move and you aren’t right on top of things, other drivers can become impatient and try to get around you. Maybe someone keeps cutting cars off while lane hopping every time another one begins to move.

Rush hour is the cause of 25% of all traffic accidents because:

• Drivers fail to build adequate time into their commutes to account for delays. You can’t predict everything that may hold you up but if you know that routinely you’ll sit on the Connector for an extra 15 minutes, leave 15-20 minutes earlier each day rather than seeing if today is the day you’ll beat the odds. Failing to do so ends up causing anxiety which leads to dangerous driving.
• You always take the same congested route rather than a slightly longer but steady-flowing path. For some people the rage that comes with rush hour is really just in sitting still or moving at inconsistent speeds. Give yourself a calmer start to the day by taking another route to work that may be longer in distance but continues to move along.
• People tailgate the person ahead of them. When the car ahead of you slams on his or her brakes because traffic has stopped once again, you’re in prime position for causing a rear-end collision. Trucks that tailgate are extremely negligent given they know they require much more time and distance to stop than the average passenger vehicle.

At Harris Lowry Manton LLP we take your vehicle accident seriously because your injuries can have serious long-term consequences for you and your family. Having to pay enormous medical bills while being unable to work or enjoy everyday life takes a toll on your mental wellbeing, which can delay your recovery.

When someone’s recklessness has caused you harm, our caring truck accident injury lawyers will work to secure a fair settlement for you. To schedule your free case evaluation, call our Atlanta office at 404-998-8847, our Savannah office at 912-417-3774, or we invite you to reach out to us through our contact page.