Pedestrian Safety News Roundup, Continues with a backing over accident
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Today we continue with the pedestrian-car-truck-bus-train collision news items that have been sitting around in my box for months. There are so many of them just since the first of the year. You can tell its spring. Today we’ll look at three additional news items that each provides a theme or reason (cause) as to why pedestrians get struck so much.
Salt Lake City, Utah, March 2009 – Back to Salt Lake where we have a 53-year-old man steps out from behind a parked truck, when an oncoming driver looks away, swerves and strikes the man causing his death. Police point to speed of the car and inattention of the driver are partially to blame. In this case it seems we have a little fault all the way around. Notice the pedestrian and driver never made eye contact where there is that moment of recognition that each knows of the other’s presence. If the pedestrian doesn’t have the driver’s attention or acknowledgement that he knows the pedestrian is there, then the pedestrian shouldn’t assume the driver sees him.
Willis, Texas – Walking on the interstate highway is never a good idea. In this instance a pedestrian walking on an Interstate Highway 45 was struck and killed around 12:30 Sunday morning. This section of the interstate was described as a desolate stretch of the freeway.
Lakeland, Florida, March 7, 2009 – An unidentified man, not carrying his wallet, was struck and killed by a 2000 Mitsubishi car, while trying to cross the street in Lakeland, Florida. The accident occurred around 7:10 p.m. The car was driving south so the sun wouldn’t likely be a factor. A Mitsubishi is a low car, at least some models and it makes driving them difficult. Speed could be a factor as well as the pedestrian running quickly from a side angle.
Today's lessons is always establish eye contact with the driver of any vehicle when you are the pedestrian.