College Place, Washington – Woman Injured after Getting Struck by Vehicle on Southeast 12th Street

College Place, Washington (January 26, 2020) – A woman sustained injuries after getting struck by a car on Southeast 12 Street near Southeast Larch Street on Sunday evening. According to the article from KEPR News, 69 year-old Blandina Cervantes was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center for treatment of undisclosed injuries. No further word has been given regarding her condition. The driver, 27 year-old Jaime Gaytan, was not reported to be injured in the collision.

According to the information from the Washington State Patrol, Cervantes was walking on Southeast 12 Street. Gaytan, who was driving down the same road, struck Cervantes around 7:02 p.m. The cause of the collision is under investigation, but the Washington State Patrol has said that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash, and charges against Gaytan are pending .

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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