DEKALB COUNTY GA, — While pedestrian deaths are dropping in many places, DeKalb County is seeing the opposite. A new study by the advocacy group Propel ATL shows a 40% increase in pedestrian fatalities in the county over the past year, while neighboring Fulton and Clayton counties have seen declines.

Rebecca Serna, executive director of Propel ATL, says the problem comes from how DeKalb’s roads are built, and while surprising, there is a reason. “The way the streets were designed was primarily to get car drivers through them as fast as possible.” she explained.

To make the roads safer, Serna suggests reducing the number of traffic lanes, adding wider sidewalks, and creating more bus lanes. These changes, she says, would help make the streets safer for everyone.

This study matches a recent national report that found pedestrian deaths in the U.S. dropped by 3% in the first half of last year. However, the national report also highlights the need for better road design to improve pedestrian safety.

WSB’s Steve Summers contributed to this story