Community Corner

Another Wrong Way Driver Causes Fatal Wreck on Ga. 400

It's the second time this month that a wrong-way driver has caused an accident on the toll road. Can anything be done to make this highway safer?

 

A stretch of Ga. 400 was closed early this morning after a wrong-way driver crashed into another car around 3:30 a.m.

This time, only the wrong-way driver died. Radio personality Kelly Stevens, who was hit head-on by the driver, suffered a broken leg, broken arm, and cuts and bruises, according to AJC.COM. He called into his show from the emergency room and told listeners, "It just happened so fast, there was just nothing I could do."

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Less than two weeks ago,  caused a wreck on the toll road, killing himself and the driver of a second vehicle.

For about a year, I drove on Ga. 400 every weekday to get to a job in Alpharetta. Friends and co-workers said I was lucky because I was making the “reverse” commute. But I found that doesn’t really exist any more.

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Traffic headed both ways on 400 is heavy in the morning rush hour and even worse in the evening. I never saw a wrong-way driver, but I saw plenty of tail-gating, drivers slaloming between lanes to get in front of other vehicles, and other aggressive, scary behavior.

There were also a few positive moments, like the time I was down to just two quarters in my purse. Of course, that’s the day when my aim was poor. One of the coins bounced out of the toll collection basket and rolled off where I couldn’t reach it. As I desperately scrambled around, a kind soul in the car behind me gave me another quarter.

Ga. 400 is a vital artery between Buckhead, Apharetta and points north. But it's often a place where people are frustrated as they struggle to get to a business meeting or get home in time for dinner with their family. It's also, sadly, a place where people sometimes lose their lives.

How often do you drive Ga. 400? Do you avoid it? Are there any ways to make it safer for everyone? Tell us what you think in the comments area below.



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