A 12-year-old school boy, who sustained serious injuries in a Polk County school bus accident earlier this month, has died from his injuries. Seventh grader Wyatt Pilgrim was stuck by a school bus on September 9th, as he was waiting for his bus. He was airlifted to an Atlanta hospital, and remained in a critical condition for days. On Sunday, Wyatt succumbed to his injuries.
Police investigations have revealed that the driver could not avoid the accident, and police officials have confirmed that he will not be charged in the accident. According to a Polk County school system representative, the Evergreen Lane in Cedartown where the accident occurred, has heavy traffic. There are schools in the area including the Cherokee Elementary School, and consequently, a lot of children use the area.
Very often, accidents involving pedestrians can be traced to road designs that are simply not pedestrian-friendly. These accidents occur very often when there is heavy pedestrian traffic, and not adequate safety systems to protect pedestrians.
Often, as Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyers, we see that as areas become more populated and crowded, the roads continue to remain the same. Safety procedures and enhancements must be undertaken keeping increased populations in mind. Even something as simple as a stop light can prevent accidents in pedestrian-heavy areas, like school zones and residential areas. It’s the duty of state, county and city authorities, depending on the jurisdiction, to make sure that safety enhancements are made. Very often however, the lack of resources derails such plans, with serious consequences for pedestrians.