Woman Struck Crossing the Road After Leaving Hospital

A 60-year-old woman was hit by a car on Thursday, March 12, just after being released from a hospital in Lufkin. According to drivers, the woman crossed the road suddenly, in front of traffic.

A 60-year-old resident of Camden, Arkansas, was hit by a truck Thursday morning after being released from Woodland Heights Medical Center. Reportedly, the woman was discharged sometime before 6:30 a.m. and was waiting to be picked up when the accident occurred.

The woman was waiting for her ride when she decided to cross South John Redditt Drive to wait in a McDonald’s instead. Unfortunately, as she was crossing the street, she was struck by a pickup truck.

There were two witnesses to the event, besides the victim herself: the driver of an SUV in the outside lane of John Redditt, and the pickup truck driver who was traveling in the inside lane.

The SUV driver told police that she saw the woman begin to cross the road suddenly but was unable to swerve around her in time. Unfortunately, the pickup truck driver didn’t have enough time to react. The pickup truck driver was “visibly shaken” following the incident, according to local reports.

The pedestrian, on the other hand, was conscious and breathing following the accident, but her condition is unknown at the time. She was taken to a local hospital before being flown out-of-town for further treatment.

It’s true that many pedestrian-car accidents take place as a result of negligent drivers. However, pedestrians can put themselves in danger if they fail to follow the traffic laws. The Texas Department of Transportation offers a wealth of information on what pedestrians can and cannot do.

First, while it’s true that pedestrians generally have the right-of-way, they simply cannot walk into the street wherever or whenever they please. Instead, pedestrians should give drivers the right-of-way anywhere without a designated crosswalk or other pedestrian walkway.

Second, if there is a sidewalk available, pedestrians are required to use it. That means that you can’t just walk along the road. Pedestrians also aren’t allowed to stand in a roadway to ask for a ride or other service from drivers or other pedestrians, unless otherwise allowed by local laws.

Finally, it’s worth keeping in mind the rules that govern driver behavior around pedestrians. For instance, in Texas, drivers have a duty to exercise “due care” to avoid hitting pedestrians. This includes both reasonable evasive actions and sounding the horn.

However, a driver is unlikely to be held responsible for colliding with you if you walk in front of their vehicle in such a way that they are unable to avoid hitting you, no matter how much care is given. Because of this, you need to abide by the rules when walking down or crossing the street.

Here are some tips on what pedestrians can do to stay safe in Texas. Download our guide and share it with friends and family to help them stay safe, too.

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Source : CBS19

Woman Struck Crossing the Road After Leaving Hospital

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