Tragic Crash Kills Pedestrian in New Bern, North Carolina

NEW BERN, NC- Mnct.com writes that a fatal crash took place in New Bern earlier this week. The incident occurred on Neuse Boulevard close to Helen Avenue. Reports indicate that the victim was a 73-year-old man from New Bern.*

The victim was walking on the roadway and approaching the intersection when a 58-year-old woman, also of New Bern, who was operating a Craven County CARTS vehicle struck the man. 

Responders airlifted the victim to the Vidant Medical Center, where he later died from injuries he sustained in the crash. The authorities are still investigating the incident and requested that anyone with information about the crash contact the police. 

Pedestrians are vulnerable users of the road, and around the country, they are dying in record numbers. In 2018, more pedestrians died in crashes than at any time in nearly three decades. One of the main factors that impact whether a person is likely to survive a pedestrian crash is the speed at which a vehicle is traveling. When cars drive at slower speeds, there is a less significant risk of victims suffering fatal injuries. Studies indicate that at 23-miles-per-hour, most people will live through an accident. As the speed of cars increases, the survival rate drops quickly. By 42 mph, the risk of death is about 50 percent. The likelihood of dying in a pedestrian incident also increases if the victim is older. Pedestrians over the age of 70 are statistically more at risk of dying from injuries that they sustain in a crash than are younger adults. 

Slower speed limits, especially in areas with foot traffic, could greatly reduce the number of fatal pedestrian crashes. 

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 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.wnct.com/local-news/officials-investigate-fatal-pedestrian-accident-in-new-bern/ and https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety and https://aaafoundation.org/impact-speed-pedestrians-risk-severe-injury-death/