News - Is there any way to curb Atlanta's deadly driving habits?

Gov. Barnes seems to be on the right track by making this a statewide issue, using the weight of his office to try and fix the problem. Conceding the obvious, Barnes believes speed is the culprit in the state's staggering number of traffic fatalities. There were at least 1,644 such deaths last year, a 13-year high. Among other measures, he's created a special traffic patrol in an attempt to ease the breakneck pace on metro Atlanta roadways, where so many of Georgia's traffic deaths occur.
But there's another problem — and this one may be far more difficult to fix. It's the city's awkward driving rhythm. Atlanta's drivers speed, yes. But many seem to do so for the sole reason of veering in front of you to go slower. What's more, Atlanta drivers can be far too aggressive on on-ramps, preferring to battle it out with the right-of-way traffic instead of waiting their turn for an opening. And never assume an Atlanta driver won't change lanes without notice — even if it's to commandeer the very spot of asphalt your car is about to occupy; turn signals are used about as often as hazard lights around here.

Atlanta drivers do occasionally yield. Sometimes they're so courteous, they come to a halting stop to allow motorists in front of them. But infrequent bouts of manners won't get you far on Atlanta roads. In fact, they're rhythm killers.

Given the sheer variety of driving styles imported from all corners of the globe, is it really any surprise that Atlanta's rhythm is "anything goes." Or that the lone consistency is inconsistency.

Drivers tear it up on the largely speed-limitless Autobahn in Germany, and, according to a website devoted to the superhighway, the fatality rate is lower there than on U.S. interstates. When I drive in New York, I'm speeding right along with the rest of them, zigzagging and blowing at people who halt a little. It's crazy, yes — but it's consistent. I suspect that this unique rhythm reflects the Big Apple's character of motion with a purpose. And therein lies the problem with Atlanta: its perpetual newness. The city's continuous influx of newcomers prohibits it from settling into a manageable groove. Is it fast? Is it slow? Is it (heaven forbid) both?

Obviously Barnes' new patrol should go after speeders. But they also need to whip out the pads for less-egregious violations — i.e. driving too slowly in passing lanes, failing to use turn signals, refusing to yield when entering the highway. That way, maybe we can smooth Atlanta's herky-jerky driving rhythm over time.