Covington, Washington – Pedestrian Seriously Injured in Suspected DUI Collision

Covington, Washington (November 1, 2019) – A pedestrian sustained multiple injuries after getting struck by a car at the 26400 block of 164th Avenue Southeast on early Friday morning. The patient was airlifted to haborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of head injuries and broken bones. The driver was uninjured in the incident and was arrested following the crash.

According to the report, the street on which the accident happened was under construction at the time of the accident, and there were no sidewalks. The pedestrian was crossing the road when he was struck by the northbound vehicle, leaving him with many injuries. The vehicle continued traveling and crashed into utility pole as well as construction equipment some distance away from the collision site. The driver has been booked into jail for investigation of vehicular assault and DUI.

About Pedestrian Accidents

Unfortunately, as shown in this case, pedestrians are at also risk while on the streets, with the National Center for Health Statistics estimating 7, 450  pedestrian deaths in 2017. Pedestrian accidents can fall under traffic or non-traffic depending on the location where they were struck. Traffic incidents happen on public roads, while non-traffic incidents occur on non-traffic areas such as driveways, parking lots and other private property. Most pedestrian deaths occur in urban settings, on urban roads (72%) versus on intersections (18%), and mostly at night. Much like motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents can happen simply because people are not as visible as other vehicles, a problem which is worse during night. And in an event of a car crash, similar to motorcycle drivers and passengers, the risk to pedestrians are greater than those inside a car, with fatality rate being 1.5 times greater than any car passenger.When it comes to risk, older adults, children, and alcohol-impaired drivers or pedestrians are at most risk in pedestrian accidents. The risk is further heightened in a situation where a vehicle is at high speed. Lately, distractions also cause accidents not only for drivers, but also pedestrians, specifically those who are using their phones while crossing the road. We urge everyone to exercise area awareness at all times and to keep their attention on the road. Avoiding accidents not only prevents loss, damage, injuries and death to one’s self, but also on other people in the surroundings.

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