A woman died early Sunday after she was struck by a vehicle while trying to direct traffic away from an earlier crash on Interstate 285 near the LaVista Road exit in DeKalb County. The collision that killed her shut down all lanes of I-285 for hours before the highway reopened.
According to WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News, the woman was attempting to warn other drivers away from an initial crash at the same location when a separate vehicle struck her. Police say the driver of that vehicle hit the woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The DeKalb County Police Department has not released her identity as it investigates the circumstances of the crash.
The driver of the vehicle that struck her was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, per the station's report. Emergency personnel and crews worked the scene for hours as all lanes of I-285 remained shut down before eventually reopening, the outlet reported.
A Familiar and Dangerous Pattern on I-285
What happened near LaVista Road fits a pattern highway safety researchers have long flagged as one of the deadliest hazards on interstates: the secondary crash. Highway safety research published by the Federal Highway Administration indicates that secondary crashes account for 8% to 18% of all freeway collisions nationwide, often triggered by the sudden slowdowns and stopped vehicles left behind after an initial wreck.
Georgia law is built around trying to prevent exactly this kind of chain reaction. Under the state's Duty to Remove Vehicles statute, O.C.G.A. § 40-6-275, drivers involved in crashes without apparent serious injury or death are required to move their vehicles off the main roadway to a shoulder or median, according to Justia. Separately, Georgia's Move Over Law, O.C.G.A. § 40-6-16, requires drivers approaching stationary emergency, utility, or towing vehicles with flashing lights to change lanes or slow well below the posted limit, carrying fines up to $500, as explained by the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety.
Legal Protections for Bystanders Who Step In
Georgia's Good Samaritan statute, O.C.G.A. § 51-1-29, offers civil immunity to people who in good faith render emergency assistance at a crash scene without expecting payment, a protection that has existed since the law was first enacted in 1962. It remains unclear whether the woman was a driver or passenger involved in the earlier crash or a passing bystander who stopped to help, a detail not addressed in available reporting.
I-285's Long History as a Dangerous Corridor
The stretch of I-285 in DeKalb County has a documented history of severe and fatal wrecks. Federal traffic safety data previously identified the interstate as having 3.5 fatal crashes per 10 miles in a benchmark study year, ranking it among the deadliest interstates per mile in the country, according to an analysis from Litner Law. The 64-mile perimeter loop carries an estimated two million vehicles daily and links major routes including I-20, I-75, I-85, and GA-400, per its entry on Wikipedia.
A MoneyGeek analysis of federal fatality data found Fulton and DeKalb counties recorded more than 1,100 fatal traffic accidents between 2018 and 2020, with fatal crashes heavily concentrated along I-285. Statewide, Georgia recorded more than 400,000 traffic collisions in 2023, resulting in roughly 1,800 deaths and 150,000 injuries, with metro Atlanta accounting for about 40% of all crashes despite covering less than 3% of the state's land area, according to figures compiled by the Wetherington Law Firm.
State Efforts to Clear Crashes Faster
Georgia has invested in programs aimed at reducing exactly the kind of prolonged roadway exposure that can lead to secondary crashes. Georgia Department of Transportation evaluation data shows specialized traffic management programs, including the Towing and Recovery Incentive Program launched in 2008, have cut major incident clearance times by roughly 80%, lowering secondary crash risk on the state's busiest corridors.
Sunday's crash adds to a string of serious incidents along this section of I-285 in recent years. In February, Hoodline reported on a multi-lane shutdown in DeKalb County after an 18-wheeler crash caused a fuel spill. In September 2024, a 33-year-old woman died in a separate early-morning I-285 collision in Dunwoody that left three others injured and shut down lanes for an extended period. Key questions remain open, including whether the driver who struck the woman faces any charges and how long the initial crash's vehicles sat in travel lanes before the fatal secondary strike occurred.
