Pedestrian Safety

A pedestrian was killed after he stopped on the roadway to help another pedestrian who had, moments before, been hit by another  car. How tragic is that? According to an article on the web site of Nashville TV station News Channel 5, the initial victim had darted out into downtown traffic and was hit by a car that swerved to avoid him. The second victim witnessed that accident and stopped to render aid and was struck by a car going the opposite direction. Victim two died at a local hospital and victim one is in critical condition.

My heart goes out to the victims and their families and loved ones. These tragic accidents are so avoidable, but yet, they take place so quickly that It’s hard to figure out what happened. Both pedestrians and drivers are responsible to keep a look out for each other. Under Tennessee law the pedestrian always has the right of way but that right is tempered by the circumstances. Pedestrians are supposed to cross streets at corners or designated crosswalks and drivers are required to always be on the alert for pedestrians.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)  defines a pedestrian as any person not in or upon a motor vehicle or other vehicle. In 2007, 4,654 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, a decrease of 13 percent from the 5,321 pedestrians killed in 1997.  On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 113 minutes and injured in  a traffic crash every 8 minutes. There were 70,000 pedestrians injured in traffic crashes in 2007.

Most pedestrian fatalities in 2007 occurred in urban areas (73%), at non-intersection locations (77%), in normal weather conditions (90%), and at night (67%). More than two-thirds (70%) of the pedestrians killed in 2007 were males. In 2007, the male pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 population was 2.19, morethan double the rate for females (0.91 per 100,000 population). In 2007, the male pedestrian injury rate per 100,000 population was 26, compared with 20 for females.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville vehicle/pedestrian accident contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your rights and remedies. Details about our attorneys and staff can be found by viewing our website at www.seriousinjury.com where you can get to know the men and women who will be looking out for your best interest. We provide free consultations to the victims and families of Nashville accident victims.