The conversation about safety measures for pedestrians in Georgia isn’t a new one.
Tech startups have taken a stab at the problem. Rallies have been formed to push for better sidewalks in certain areas. Citizens have urged some Georgia cities to invest in better street lights for dark roads where it may be difficult for drivers to spot somebody on foot.
It has never been a secret that Georgia isn’t necessarily as walk-friendly as it could (and should) be.
Well, a new study has quantified just how dangerous it is for pedestrians in the Peach State and it turns out that Georgia is among the top 10 most dangerous states for pedestrians.
Smart Growth America’s “Dangerous by Design” study placed Georgia at number ten on its Pedestrian Danger Index.
This number is calculated using the number of pedestrian fatalities and the number of commuters who walk to work. These numbers were pulled from statistics that date from 2005 to 2014.
Georgia has not one, but two metro areas that have been historically proven to be unusually treacherous for pedestrians.
“In a review of more than 100 metro areas, Atlanta ranked 26th on the Pedestrian Danger Index, and had a rate of 1.5 deaths for every 100,000 residents,” Patch.com reported. “The Augusta metro area ranked 22nd and had a rate of more than 2 deaths for every 100,000 residents.”
The numbers are troubling and serve as a grim reminder that even as we move into a future with automated cars and ride sharing services that will revolutionize the way we travel, careful considerations (and funding) must still be given to those who choose to travel on foot.
