Seattle, Washington – Man Struck By Bus

Seattle, Washington (April 23, 3019) – A man was struck by a Metro bus while he was running across the northbound lanes of the State Route 509 around 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday morning. He was stated to be in critical condition and was taken to Harborview Medical Center. No one on the bus was injured in the accident.

According to Washington State Patrol, the victim had been sitting on a metal box at South Kenyon and Occidental. He later hopped the barrier and ran across the northbound lanes of the SR 509 and was struck by the Metro bus as it was traveling in the HOV lane. It happened just south of First Avenue South Bridge. The accident and the investigation temporarily blocked two lanes on the First Avenue South Bridge.

About Pedestrian Accidents

The National Center for Health Statistics estimated 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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