East Cobb families heading out for Halloween are being urged to plan safe walking routes and make costumes visible as Georgia transportation officials forecast heavy traffic on several metro Atlanta roads Saturday, Oct. 31.
Georgia DOT expects heavy traffic on Cobb Parkway and Northside Drive from 2 to 4 p.m. Its forecast also lists congestion on Roswell Road from 3 to 5 p.m., with conditions improving afterward, though the advisory does not specify which stretch of Roswell Road it covers. The projections draw on historical Halloween traffic patterns, according to the agency’s announcement reproduced by the Cobb County Courier.
The warning comes as a national report places Georgia ninth among states for pedestrian deaths. Smart Growth America’s Dangerous by Design 2026 rankings show Georgia averaged 2.79 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 residents annually from 2020 through 2024.
The Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro area ranked 32nd among 101 metro areas, averaging 2.8 deaths per 100,000 residents. Nationwide, pedestrian deaths increased 72% between 2009 and 2024, according to the organization.
Halloween brings particular risks for children. AAA, citing Safe Kids Worldwide, says children are more than twice as likely to be struck and killed by a vehicle on Halloween as on any other day.
Road design also affects safety. Wider roads, faster traffic and missing medians can make walking more dangerous, Georgia DOT Safety Engineering Manager Ron Knezevich told 11Alive. Medians can slow traffic and give pedestrians a place to pause while crossing, he said.
In East Cobb, an 11-year-old girl was seriously injured while crossing Post Oak Tritt Road at Bennington Drive on Oct. 10, 2023, the Courier reported. Cobb County police’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program investigated the crash.
For Saturday’s festivities, Georgia DOT recommends that families use sidewalks and familiar, well-lit routes, cross at corners and designated crossings, and give children flashlights or glow sticks. Reflective tape can help drivers spot costumes. Children younger than 13 should have adult supervision.
Drivers should reduce their speed in neighborhoods, put away distractions and watch for children who may cross unexpectedly.
Clocks turn back at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, after Halloween night. The change brings earlier sunsets by the clock beginning Sunday, adding another reason for drivers and pedestrians to prepare for evening travel in darkness.
