Pedestrian Deaths

In reviewing Tennessee news outlets this morning I can tell you that this week has not been kind to pedestrians. WBIR TV in Knoxville reported that a 51-year old man from Greene County was attempting to cross the street when he was hit by driver Billy Daniel Miller, 72. The victim Somphou Pommachanh was pronounced dead on arrival at Johnson City Medical Center. Police believe the victim was under the influence of alcohol.

A 56 year-old Nashville homeless man was struck by a Hit & Run driver while crossing Donelson Pike, reports News Channel 5. Witnesses saw a dark colored SUV speed out of a parking lot, ran over and killed the man and then drive away at a high rate of speed.

And in a horrible turn of events, a Kingsport man was struck by two cars and died at the scene. Wayne Quesenberry, 26, of Kingsport was initially hit by an SUV and thrown into the path of a pickup truck going the other direction. The second vehicle described as an F-150 fled the scene and is being sought by police.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) A pedestrian is defined 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, more than 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. The message I’d like to leave you with is that whether you are behind the wheel or on foot you must avoid distractions and keep your eyes on what you are doing.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Nashville automobile pedestrian accident the injuries can be very serious and you ought to contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and find out about your right. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.