Atlanta is a strategic port for truckers for many reasons. First, it is centrally located in the South. But it’s also not too far from the Midwest and Northeast. Truckers are routinely passing through Atlanta to pick up loads, drop them off, and more. It isn’t hard to figure out why Atlanta is a hot spot for truckers and the goods they bring with them. Atlanta is now the 9th largest metropolitan city in the United States. Combine these two truths and you’re bound to have some traffic and car, motorcycle, and truck accidents. Below are the top causes of truck accidents in Atlanta.
Large Number of Trucks Coming Through
The number of truck accidents is directly related to the number of trucks that pass-through Atlanta every day. Since it is a central large city in the South, a lot of companies are headquartered in Atlanta. A lot of products go to and from the city, and they need to be transported by truckers. There have consistently been so many trucks passing through this area that Georgia is planning on building a 40-mile truck-only highway.
Infamous Bottleneck Intersections
Next, another top reason for truck accidents in Atlanta is that the city is infamous for its highway intersections that bottleneck traffic. Between the Downtown Connector, which is a 7.5-mile stretch where I-75 and I-85 meet, and the Spaghetti Junction, the area is known for its difficult intersections.
The Downtown connector is known for its difficult exit directions, excessive lane changes, and tight weaves around the Grady Curve. Not only is this stretch of highway full of traffic, it is also where many truck accidents occur. It is the cause of much stress for Georgians who live both inside and outside Atlanta.
The Spaghetti Junction is a flyover highway interchange between I-85 and I-285. This is worse than the Downtown Connector when it comes to trucker delays. It is known for truckers as being one of the worst areas in the country. Commuters are frustrated when they are in these bottlenecks, leading to more trucker accidents.
Population Size
With a population over 6 million, Atlanta has become one of the top ten larges cities in the United States. A higher population leads to more traffic, more congestion, and more accidents. The difference between 6 million people and the rural highways truckers drive to get from destination to destination is vast. The city’s population has grown consistently since 1950, forcing the city to evolve with the population. In many ways, it still lags the population growth.
Heavy Commuter Traffic
75 percent of the people who live in Atlanta drive to and from work every day. That means that easily over 4 million people hit the roads every day just to get to work. They navigate the complex freeway system, which leads to frequent delays, jams, and accidents. The response has been more Atlanta truck accident lawyers popping up to take on clients. Truckers experience the brunt of heavy commuter traffic when they enter Atlanta. It’s known by many truckers as a bad day at the office.
Driving Habits
20 percent of Atlanta commuters are traveling 90 minutes or more just to get to work every day. When millions of people get on the road, and a decent portion of them are driving over an hour, there’s no wondering why there are accidents and delays. Truck drivers experience those extreme driving habits every time they enter the city, but some of them don’t leave without getting in an accident.
Atlanta is an incredible city. It has a unique culture and opportunities that attract people from across Georgia, the South, and the wider United States. The population has steadily grown, and the response to the growth may be slower than a lot of people expect. With Atlanta not being a very dense city, you have millions of people commuting to work every day—traversing the metropolitan area.
Truck drivers must come in and out of Atlanta every day. There are many companies with headquarters in the city, leading to all kinds of products going in and out. However you look at it, the truck accidents in Atlanta are a byproduct of the city, its growth, its traffic, and its spread-out nature. Atlanta is not the favorite spot of most truckers.
