Ferndale, Washington – Child Injured After Sled Gets Struck by Car

Ferndale, Washington (January 16, 2020) – A child was injured after their sled was struck by a car at the 5700 block of Hendrickson Avenue on Thursday afternoon. According to an article from My Ferndale News, the child in stable condition when they were taken to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham. Then driver was not reported to be injured, but their car drove into a snow bank following the incident and has=d to be freed by a tow truck.

Crews from the Whatcom County Fire District 7 were dispatched to the scene around 3:25 p.m. According to the report, the child’s sled entered the roadway after coming off a jump, and the car driver did not have time to avoid the child.

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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