Macon is a beautiful Georgia city that provides residents with many unique activities, business destinations, and much more. However, Macon experiences many unfortunate car accidents every year, crashes that may result in serious vehicular damage and even death. In this article, car accident lawyer David Mann discusses a few of the most dangerous roads in the area and highlights why they’re so problematic for drivers.
Highway 247: The Most Dangerous Road in Macon by Far
Highway 247 winds through Bibb County from east Macon to the Houston Country line. Residents call it Pio Nono Avenue and Hawkinsville Road along certain stretches. Most people in the area try to avoid it whenever possible because it’s well-known as a common car accident destination. People who work on the road report hearing horns beeping, brakes locking up, and crash sounds.
Georgia’s Department of Transportation reports 213 crashes along this road on average every year, with up to four or more people dying every year. Accidents have been very severe on this road, including turnovers, flaming crashes, and deaths. Local police report that the freeway is so busy with traffic that it’s not unusual to see crashes there almost every day during the summer or other busy times.
Highway 247 also travels by many local businesses, exits, and other freeways, leading to rear-end accidents caused by a failure to yield or driver impatience. These accidents have made Highway 247 a place to avoid, but many residents have little choice but to take it every day to and from work. Its length and importance for Macon, GA, make it unlikely accidents will decrease any time soon.
Eisenhower Parkway and Bowman Road: Popular and Deadly Roads
These two roads are also heavily used throughout Macon and Bibb County and are the home of many dangerous accidents. In January 2019 alone, two people died on these freeways. In the first incident, a woman went to cross the road and, unseen by the driver, was struck by a fast-moving vehicle and died hours later due to her accident. This occurred on January 22.
On January 25, just a few days later, another driver was riding near a wooded area on Bowman Road. She lost control of her vehicle for some reason and spun around and flipped over in the woods. Unfortunately, she passed away at the scene. These incidents were heavily investigated, and in both cases, the deceased were to blame for behaving unsafely on the road by not paying attention.
Like Highway 247, these roads are heavily traveled and stretch throughout Macon and Bibb County in winding and complex patterns. They do result in fewer deaths than Highway 247, they do commonly result in hundreds of accidents every year. Like with Highway 247, it’s hard for residents to avoid these roads because they stretch through so much of the area and are near so many important businesses.
I-75: A Common Site of Crashes
This international highway stretches through Canada, down into Michigan, through Ohio, and into multiple southern states all the way to Florida. It is one of the busiest and most densely driven highways in this region and is often considered one of the most dangerous roads in the area. In some parts of the nation, particularly in Georgia and Florida, fatal crashes occur almost daily.
Part of this danger is the sheer length of the road, which means many accidents are likely to occur as a result. It’s not uncommon for massive pileups to occur along this road, with 40 or more car pileups occurring multiple times. While Macon’s stretch of I-75 isn’t as known for crashes as sections in Florida and elsewhere, crashes do occur here at least a few times every week due to its busy nature.
Most residents avoid I-75 whenever possible because of its bad reputation and because other local routes are easier for them to take without having to go on this busy highway. However, some may still take it from time to time to cut time off their trips or to go to different parts of the state or country. Traffic density often peaks around 5-7, where it can get bumper-to-bumper busy for miles, causing stressed nerves and poor driving behaviors.
Other Dangerous Macon Roads
Macon is home to many dangerous roads that are best avoided. Fatal accidents have occurred on Pio Nono Avenue, Mercer University Drive, and US-SR 11. These busy freeways include dense traffic patterns, multiple exits, and crisscrossing highways. Roads tend to get more dangerous with more intersections due to changing traffic patterns and intersecting vehicle travel. It’s not uncommon for these intersections to be the home of most accidents throughout the Macon area.
Some of these intersection issues have been addressed with a few improvement projects. For example, the Arkwright, Bass Road, and Ga. 87 intersection received a roundabout designed to help with poor traffic flow conditions. This interaction caused 31-angle and five rear-end crashes in five years, making it one of the most dangerous in the area. Such improvement projects can help with traffic flow but don’t change poor driving behaviors. Things like roundabouts also bring new potential dangers, as drivers adapt to using them.
Avoiding These Dangers
The best way to avoid these dangers is to drive defensively and safely whenever you’re on any of these freeways. Whenever possible, you can also find alternative routes around these roads to ensure that you experience as little crash risk as possible. If you do get into an accident, it is important to talk to a lawyer who can help protect you by preparing a case against the individual who caused the crash.
