The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ga.'s most fatal stretches of road in Atlanta
Awareness ‘can help drivers make better choices’ in vehicle.
Georgia’s most fatal stretch of road is on I-20 in Atlanta, according to a recent study.
Five deaths occurred on the .98-mile freeway section northwest of Summerhill during the study’s timeframe, the analysis conducted by personal injury law firm Butler Wooten & Peak and data visualization firm 1Point21 Interactive found.
Data was used from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 2013, 2014 and 2015, in addition to U.S. Census numbers. The study includes only stretches where at least five fatal crashes occurred within 2½ miles of each other.
With those parameters, they found that 427 fatal crashes occurred on 277 miles of Georgia road. In those crashes, 460 people died.
Atlanta contained 13 of the deadliest stretches of road — including six of the top 10 spots — out of the 57 listed in the study. Those 13 Atlanta stretches totaled nearly 40 miles and accounted for 97 fatal crashes and 101 fatali- ties in the study.
A 3.73-mile stretch of Old National Highway topped the list in crashes and fatalities, with 12 each, but the I-20 section had more deadly crashes per mile.
A separate study in 2015 showed that I-285 in Geor- gia had more fatal accidents per mile than any other inter- state in 2013. Four stretches of that interstate showed up on the recent study, with the most fatal area located in Sandy Springs.
The 30-year-old law firm, Butler Wooten & Peak, specializes in vehicle accidents and has won millions in settlements against car companies and others involved in fatal car accidents.
Attorneys at the firm represented the family of a 4-year-old Decatur County boy, Remington “Remi” Walden, who died in 2012 after a Jeep Grand Cherokee he was riding in was hit and burst into flames. According to media reports, Butler Wooten & Peak won a $40 million judgment against Fiat Chrysler in that case, which was upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court last month.
“Being aware of locations with a high concentration of fatal crashes can help driv- ers make better choices in their vehicle and even lead to identifying and fixing poten- tially dangerous conditions,” Butler Wooten & Peak wrote on its website.
The second most deadly stretch was on I-75 in Kennesaw with an average of 4.65 fatal crashes per mile, the study said. Also in Cobb County was a 4.47-mile span on South Cobb Drive lined with municipal buildings, gas stations and automotive stores. The study found that seven people died in six crashes during that threeyear period.