SMYRNA, Georgia — Cobb County officials say they’re going to take another run at the safety mess at the intersection of Cooper Lake Drive and Atlanta and Gilmore roads.
However, the resident who raised the issue believes the data will not capture what actually happens on the ground.
In an email to the Smyrna resident who has pressed the county for years to act, officials said staff will inspect the traffic signal to ensure vehicle detection is working, review traffic counts to determine whether additional left-turn signals are warranted, and analyze crash data for trends that may indicate engineering improvements.
That’s a start, the resident wrote back. It’s also not the whole story.
The resident’s main concern is the kind of danger that never makes it into official records: the near misses. For example, he told county officials that swerving to avoid a red-light runner doesn’t constitute a crash.
He cited an incident he previously reported in which motorcyclists stopped traffic so other riders could run a red light and stay together. While he reported the malfeasance, he never heard back, leaving him unsure whether anyone responded or whether the report went anywhere.
And that’s where he says the county’s review may fall short. Data can tell how many wrecks happened, but won’t tell how many didn’t — or how many were avoided by a driver who hit the brakes and prayed.
The resident said the intersection should, at a minimum, be recorded so that footage can be reviewed when someone reports a dangerous-driving complaint. Without video, he argues, residents are left with little more than their word
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