Why Pedestrian Crashes on Interstates Are So Dangerous

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) designs interstates and other limited-access freeways vehicles moving at highway speed, not for pedestrians. That mismatch makes any pedestrian presence extremely dangerous. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has found that more than 800 pedestrians die on U.S. interstates and freeways every year. Additionally, crossing maneuvers — like the one described in this crash — are the single most common way those deaths happen, accounting for roughly 42% of interstate pedestrian fatalities.

Speed is the central problem. At the speeds typical of interstate travel, drivers have very little time to perceive a person in the roadway and react, and vehicles cannot stop or swerve in time even when a driver does see the danger. National data cited by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) shows that nine out of ten pedestrians struck by a vehicle traveling 40 mph will die from their injuries — and traffic on I-75 routinely moves well above that speed.

A Growing Problem on Georgia’s Interstates

This crash is part of a troubling statewide pattern. GDOT has reported more than 1,500 pedestrian deaths on Georgia interstates over the past five years, prompting the agency to launch public awareness campaigns urging drivers who break down or need to exit a vehicle to stay inside whenever possible and call for help rather than walking along or across the roadway. GDOT data also shows that 84% of pedestrian deaths happen at night and 95% occur outside of a marked crosswalk — both factors present in Thursday’s early-morning crash, which occurred before sunrise on a stretch of highway with no pedestrian crossings.

Henry County sits along one of metro Atlanta’s busiest freight and commuter corridors, where I-75 carries heavy volumes of both passenger vehicles and commercial trucks around the clock. That combination of high speeds, high traffic density, and limited lighting in the early morning hours makes any pedestrian incident there especially perilous for everyone involved — the person on foot and the drivers who suddenly find an obstacle in their path with no time to react.

What This Means for the Family

When a loved one dies in a crash like this, the family often has as many questions as the investigators themselves — what happened in the moments before the crash, why their family member was on the interstate, and whether anyone could have done anything differently. Under Georgia law, a victim’s surviving spouse, children, or other qualifying family members may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim if an investigation ultimately reveals that negligence — by any party involved — contributed to the death. These cases are often complex, particularly on limited-access highways where determining sequence of events, vehicle speeds, and driver responses requires careful reconstruction of the crash.

For now, investigators are still actively investigating Nash’s death. They have released no additional details about her or the drivers involved. The Jewkes Firm extends its condolences to Lakishia Nash’s family and everyone affected by this tragedy.