Atlanta continues to be one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. With a lot of growth comes some growing pains. One issue that continues to be a rising concern is the number of serious car accidents in the metro area.
Even with more people staying off the road and working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, car accident numbers did not fade at all. In fact, 2020 saw a slight uptick in crash fatalities, while other numbers stayed virtually the same. This keeps Atlanta as one of the most challenging locations in the United States for drivers looking to stay safe.
Why are numbers high each year in Atlanta? While there will inevitably be accidents in any heavily-populated area, there are a few more unique reasons why Atlanta driving is particularly scary at times.
Aggressive Drivers
Seemingly every year, Atlanta finishes as one of the top 10 locations in the United States for aggressive drivers. A lot of that is linked to the congested roads that continue to get worse and worse in the area. The metropolitan area is pretty stretched out for the most part, so workers make a long commute to work.
Thanks in part to the pandemic, some drivers found ways to stay off the roads by working from home. As more and more people return to the office, the roads are becoming congested again.
Inclement weather
Atlanta doesn’t get the same opportunities as other southern cities to completely avoid snow and ice during the winter months. Couple that with torrential downpours throughout the year, and weather can play a big role in how drivers handle the roads.
Every single time there is inclement winter weather, car accidents spike in the greater Atlanta area. Drivers collectively do not change their driving habits enough when the roads are slick, and it takes just one-time braking quickly to see what happens. Drivers also become more and more impatient when there are long wait times during the winter months, and those drivers are more likely to recklessly drive fast when they see an opening.
Distractions
In 2018, Georgia passed laws to help restrict cell phone use while driving. On paper, this would seem like a positive in cutting back on accidents. While it has helped to stop many for fear of receiving a violation, it has made it more distracting for others. Some drivers are going through extra steps to “secretly” use their phones while driving.
Drivers are well aware it is against the law to use their phones with hands while driving. Some drivers hide the phone as much as possible to avoid being spotted by a cop driving by. This puts the phone even more out of reach, and harder to drive at the same time. Distractions like this increase the number of accidents throughout Georgia, but most notably in Atlanta.
Easy Driving Tests
Driving tests in the United States, compared to similar countries worldwide, are easy to pass. There is a short written part in the state of Georgia, followed by about 15 minutes of actual driving. Applicants have multiple tries to pass if they fail the first time. There is also no need to ever renew a license with a test once a driver reaches a certain age. As just one example, a person’s eyesight is significantly different at age 16 compared to age 90.
Georgia is considered one of the easiest states when it comes to driving tests. With just about anyone passing, the state can’t stress overall knowledge and skill much. Some Georgia drivers would have been denied a license in other states.
Transplants
Finally, transplants help contribute to any congestion and car accident issues in any city. People are moving from different states to live in Atlanta, and that means they are bringing their own state laws and lack familiarity with Atlanta’s laws. All big cities are hard to navigate at first. It takes a while to become used to where everything is. Many are moving from areas with different laws, so what might be perfectly legal in one state is not in Georgia.
Atlanta is not slowing down anytime soon with transplants moving to the area. In fact, spurred partly by the pandemic, a current migration is going on across the United States. People are relocating to warmer climates with more space, as opposed to bigger northern cities that are overcrowded. That means more out-of-state license plates flooding the streets and highways.
Car accident in Atlanta? How Anthony Van Johnson Can Help
With car accidents on the rise, it is important to prepare in case something happens. The fastest way to get legal help after a car accident is to reach out to a lawyer with years of experience. Anthony Van Johnson has been helping drivers in the greater Atlanta area for decades get the legal assistance they need to get back on track.
