Bellingham, Washington – Pedestrian Injured by Semi-Truck

Bellingham, Washington (March 28, 2019) – A pedestrian sustained a head injury when he was truck by a semi-truck on southbound Interstate-5 near the Sunset Drive crossing. He was conscious and aware when Bellingham firefighters addressed him. He was later taken to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment.

Police and firefighters responded to the incident around 10:50 am. Details of the circumstances leading up to the collision are unclear, but at the time of the accident a disabled vehicle was on the shoulder when the semi-truck hit the pedestrian. It is not yet sure if the semi-truck drifted or the pedestrian somehow stepped on the freeway. An official said that the struck pedestrian was from the disabled vehicle, though whether he was the passenger or the driver is unknown.

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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