Officials are investigating an accident that has claimed the life of a 38-year-old man.
According to NECN, a young bicyclist was also seriously injured in the accident. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. The incident occurred about 2:00 p.m. on Temple Street in Whitman.
According to officers, the little girl and her mom’s boyfriend were trying to cross the street, but weren’t doing so in a crosswalk. The driver involved in the accident was driving a pickup truck. He said that he tried to stop and then tried to help the victims. The Whitman Fire chief also tried to help. The accident happened right outside of his house. The young bicyclist was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital. The truck involved in the accident had firefighter plates, but authorities don’t think he’s a firefighter.
They did however, confiscate his cell phone as a part of the investigation. It has not been determined whether he will face charges.
“We don’t know why they might have been in the street or any other contributing factors of the nature of the crash,” said Tim Hanlon, Deputy Chief.
Our Whitman pedestrian accident lawyers understand the risks that our residents face when walking neighborhoods. Even in residential areas, motorists show little concern for pedestrians. They forget that these individuals have rights on the road, too! Unfortunately, about 20 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in the state of Massachusetts in 2008 involved pedestrians. During that same year, there were nearly 250 pedestrians who were seriously injured in these kinds of accidents too, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety.
The likelihood of hitting a child pedestrian is higher when the motorist is returning home from work. Most child pedestrian injuries occur between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. For K-3 most injuries occur by running into the street mid-block, while older children are most often injured at intersections.
The truth of the matter is that many of these accidents happen outside of a crosswalk. Pedestrians are urged to not only cross at street corners, but also in crosswalks whenever possible.
Officials with WalkBoston are working diligently to help to make the area safer for all pedestrians and travelers. One of the keys to making this happen is to design streets so that they’re safer. Officials with the group work to help local officials design and construct communities so that they’re more walkable.
How WalkBoston Can Help Community Leaders:
-Advise on walking improvements for the community.
-Provide guidance, moral support, technical assistance.
-Conduct a number of presentations on pedestrians advocacy and design.
-Demonstrate how these techniques are working across Massachusetts and elsewhere.
One of the main points officials with WalkBoston push for pedestrian safety is to get transportation officials to slow down their speed limits. As the speed of a motor vehicle increases, so does the risk for serious injury and death for a pedestrian in the event of an accident.
If you or a family member has been injured or killed in an accident, contact Boston Accident Lawyer Jeffrey S. Glassman to schedule a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call (617) 777-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Electronics Causing Pedestrian Accidents in Massachusetts?, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, August 31, 2012
Man Fights for Life after Chelsea Pedestrian Accident, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, May 16, 2012