Driving in Augusta may be more dangerous than you think
By Leanne Dudash | News editor
In October 2024, I defied the odds of death.
I was involved in what was later classified as a major car wreck. Driving down Crawford Avenue to get to class at the Augusta University Summerville campus, a 16-year-old girl ran a stop sign and T-boned me, flipping my car. She was estimated by witnesses to be going about 60 mph in a 25 mph zone.
Even the ER doctor didn’t know how I was still conscious. It was a miracle that I was still alive, he said. This is not a comforting thing to hear after what seemed like a whirlwind of traumatic events.
I have been involved in two car accidents in the three years that I have been in Augusta, none of them being my fault. Both accidents could be an event featured on television, perhaps in an action movie or sitcom.
According to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), Augusta ranks second in the state for the highest number of car accidents. Augusta is only trailing Atlanta, despite having a significantly smaller population.
GDOT also shows that since 2020, Augusta has had a total of a little over 44,000 car crashes. Out of these crashes, there have been almost 15,000 injuries and 210 fatalities.
The events following my crash last October are what I try to find the most humor in. Sitting there, confused and disoriented in my turned-over car, I look over to see the teen and her friends staring at me, jaws dropped as far as they could possibly go.
The realization that I needed to get out of that car set in, so I scrambled out of the sunroof, leaving the destroyed mess of my Ford Fusion behind. The teenagers continued to gape at me in silence, taking in what they had just done.
The devastation of my car was inevitable; no car could survive being flipped over like it was weightless. As for me, I was extremely lucky. I emerged from the crash with only two broken ribs.
Now, you would think you would be safe statistically after an accident like that, right? Wrong!
Just a few days ago, my brand-new car was hit by an old man in a pickup truck. He reversed into me, not realizing his truck was no longer moving forward. Stopped at a stop sign, I was a sitting duck waiting for the collision.
This time, I can replace the bumper on my car. It will be as good as new. I once again emerged victorious, no injuries to report.
Are the drivers here just more clueless? Maybe the road structure has something to do with this? Well, according to an online article by Horst Shewmaker, a local law firm, it’s both, and then some.
Distracted driving is one of the most common causes of these accidents. Texting, eating a quick snack, or even changing a song contribute to many of these crashes. Speeding and impaired driving are also top of the list.
Inexperienced drivers, as well as older drivers, may miss or not understand road signs, leading to a collision. Busier roads are a dangerous area for drivers who are not sure what to do or where to go.
The law firm also identifies the area of Walton Way and 15th Street to be a frequent accident site, right near where the freshman dorms are. Wrightsboro Road, where the upperclassman housing is, is also identified as a frequent crash site.
Perhaps I am just unlucky, or maybe Augusta has something to do with this. I will let you be the judge of that one. Stay safe out there!
Crash data - portals. GDOT. (n.d.). https://gdot.aashtowaresafety.net/crash-data
Horst, M. W. (2025a, July 4). Top causes of car accidents in Augusta, GA. HORST SHEWMAKER PERSONAL INJURY TRIAL ATTORNEYS. https://horstshewmaker.com/top-causes-of-car-accidents-in-augusta-ga/
Contact Leanne Dudash at ldudash@augusta.edu.
An X-ray of the author’s ribs after a major automobile accident last fall. At the top of the page, the author’s Ford Fusion flipped when she had her Fall 2024 accident. (photos courtesy of Leanne Dudash)
