According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, there has been a 37 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities in Georgia since 2014, and the holiday shopping season is one of the worst times of the year for accidents.
The DOT's Northeast Georgia Office says there are a handful of things to keep in mind both for drivers and pedestrians to stay safe.
- 82% of pedestrian fatalities happen between dusk and dawn. So avoid wearing dark clothing while out at night. Try to wear reflective clothing.
- 9 out of 10 pedestrians hit by a car going over 40 MPH are killed. So for drivers, maintain a safe speed.
- 93% of walker fatalities occur outside of a crosswalk. If you are within the area of a crosswalk, use it to cross the road safely.
Communications Officer with the Northeast Georgia DOT Office, Katie Strickland, says a majority of these accidents are preventable.
"There are crosswalks in these shopping centers that people are visiting during the holidays and people need to use them. It is a tragedy and it is someone not at the holiday dinner table because they did not use that crosswalk," Strickland says.
She also says the holiday season means children will be out of school and instead will be playing and walking through residential areas.
"You have to slow down as a driver leaving a neighborhood. If you did not get up when the alarm went off, that will carry over to the next decision you make. You might speed out of the neighborhood trying to catch the light, trying to make it to work on time, but it only takes two seconds for an accident to happen."
In 2015, 206 people were killed while walking in Georgia and Strickland says Hall and Gwinnett Counties were near the top of the list of counties with highest fatalities in the state.
