Selah, Washington – Teen Hospitalized After Getting Struck by Vehicle

Selah, Washington (February 13, 2020) – A teen was hospitalized after getting struck by an SUV while crossing North 1st Street at West Fremont Avenue on Thursday morning. According to the report from KIMA News, the victim complained of pain in his face and in the left side of his body. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. The driver was unhurt in the incident and no other injuries were reported in the incident.

Police and fire crews arrived on the scene around 7:55 a.m. According to witness reports, the boy was in crosswalk when he was struck. The driver told police that he was turning right onto South 1st Street and did not see the victim. The incident is being investigated by the Selah Police Department.

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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