Tragic Pedestrian Crash Reported on Seward Road in Rutland, Vermont (VT)
RUTLAND, VT- Wcax.com writes that a pedestrian crash tragically killed one individual in Rutland this week.*
The victim was reportedly a woman who died in the hospital shortly after the incident. The crash occurred on Route 7 close to Seward Road in the evening when the victim, a 43-year-old woman from Rutland City, was crossing the road close to a Days Inn. The driver involved in the crash was a 53-year-old woman also from Rutland City. Police are still investigating the incident and have not yet filed any charges against the driver.
Studies indicate pedestrian crashes are on the rise throughout the United States in recent years. There are a number of possible reasons for this increase in fatal pedestrian incidents. For instance, drivers select larger cars now than they did in the past. SUVs are proven to increase the risk of a crash involving a pedestrian resulting in fatalities. However, data also indicate that nighttime pedestrian crashes are rising far faster than are pedestrian collisions during the day. Correlating is undoubtedly at least part of the problem, but it is not yet clear why these crashes are increasing at such a fast pace. Improvements to headlight designs could potentially help reduce pedestrian crashes. Currently, LED lights, which are believed to make the road brighter, have not been shown to improve safety for vulnerable road users.
Some evidence also suggests smartphones are part of the problem period in recent years; distracted driving has led to a rise in fatal car crashes, including pedestrian collisions. It is also possible that pedestrians are inclined to look at their phones while walking, making these individuals less alert or aware of their surroundings as well. Each year, these crashes are now killing more than 6,000 individuals throughout the country.
Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes. To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com-click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or a family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.
Sources:
https://www.wcax.com/2020/11/09/police-investigate-fatal-pedestrian-crash-in-rutland/
https://www.treehugger.com/why-are-so-many-more-pedestrians-getting-killed-night-4853127
https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety
https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/new-study-suggests-todays-suvs-are-more-lethal-to-pedestrians-than-cars#:~:text=At%20speeds%20of%2020%2D39,involving%20cars%20(54%20percent).