A 56-year-old woman is in extremely critical condition being hit in a pedestrian accident.
The Pedestrian Accident
According to a police spokesman, the woman was struck when she crossed 35th Avenue, a street in northwest Phoenix, in an attempt to get to a bus. According to officer James Holmes, a Phoenix police spokesman, the woman was not crossing at a crosswalk. She was struck by a red Nissan. The 57-year-old driver of the Nissan remained at the scene and was cooperative with investigators.
Crosswalk Safety
Unfortunately, the existence of a crosswalk on a road does not ensure pedestrian safety. This is because many pedestrians either choose to avoid using the designated crosswalks, or they fail to use it correctly and do not comply with provided traffic signals. So, while it’s important for their to be crosswalks, it’s equally, if not more important, for pedestrians to be mindful of crosswalk safety precautions. Such precautions include checking traffic, staying in designated crosswalks, and obeying traffic signals.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
Statistics recorded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, shows that in 2006, 42 percent of pedestrian fatalities happened on roads that did not have proper crosswalks. But 21 percent of accidents occurred in roadways where the crosswalk was readily available and the pedestrian hadn’t used it. Pedestrian deaths occurring in actual crosswalks account for less than 9 percent of all fatalities. What this shows is that pedestrians can expect a much safer and hazard-free experience when using a crosswalk.
If you or a family member have been injured in a car accident or a pedestrian accident, you need the expert advice of lawyers such as those at Personal Injury Attorneys PLLC.
