Spokane, Washington – Jaywalking Pedestrian Injured After Getting Struck by Car, Driver Suspected of DUI

Spokane, Washington (July 14, 2019) – A pedestrian was injured after getting struck by a car at the intersection of North Vista Road and East Trent Avenue on Sunday night. The victim, identified as  Dominick D. Pirtle of Spokane, was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. He was listed to be in satisfactory condition on Monday afternoon. No other injuries were reported.

The crash happened shortly before 10 p.m. The driver, Gina M. Duer of Deer Park, was driving east on East Trent Avenue and approached a green light. At the same time, Pirtle was crossing East Trent Avenue on foot despite not having the right of way. Duer’s car crashed into Pirtle, though the Washington State Patrol lists jaywalking as the cause of the collision. Duer was still arrested on suspicion of DUI, and was booked into the Spokane County Jail.

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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