The roads in Georgia can be hazardous for any pedestrian trying to cross regardless of time of day or exactly where they try to cross. For one particular man, his attempt to cross the road on foot ended in tragedy. The car accident that took his life happened in Mableton early in the morning.
According to police, the 29-year-old who was struck and killed was crossing the road when a Honda Accord struck him. The driver is a 30-year-old Atlanta man. Reports indicate the pedestrian was not in a crosswalk at the time of the accident, though further information about the circumstances of the collision was not revealed.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead. The Honda driver was uninjured in the accident. Authorities are still investigating all of the circumstances, though there was no indication of what issues they were considering and when the inquiry is expected to be completed. Currently, police have stated they are not expecting to press criminal charges against the driver of the Honda.
While the pedestrian who was hit and killed in this car accident may have been walking outside of a crosswalk, there are many details that must be considered to come to a full understanding of what occurred. Was there a crosswalk near the accident site, was the area where the collision occurred well lit and did the driver have a clear chance to see the pedestrian? In any car accident where a driver or pedestrian is injured or killed, there may be many contributing factors that do not necessarily result in criminal charges, but may clearly warrant civil action. If a full investigation suggests that the driver negligently caused or contributed to the fatal accident, the victim\’s family may find they are entitled to pursue a claim for monetary damages in a Georgia civil court.
Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Mableton man dies after being struck by car,” Fran Jeffries, Jan. 13, 2013