Bellevue, Washington – Pedestrian Struck Car at Traffic Stop, Taken to Hospital

Bellevue, Washington (March 17, 2019) – An officer was conducting a traffic stop at 900 Bellevue Way Northeast at 1:40 am. when a pedestrian walked by and struck the stopped vehicle. The officer observed the pedestrian and contacted the subject after seeing signs of the subject experiencing mental issues. The officer determined there was cause for the pedestrian to be taken to the hospital for evaluation. No injuries were reported from the incident. There is no information on the condition of the subject.

About Traffic Accidents

This particular incident has unusual circumstances, but one must keep in mind that drivers are not the only ones who should be aware of road safety. Pedestrians are also at 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 when it comes to 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. 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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