Covington, Washington – Pedestrian Dies in a Collision at Highway 18

Covington, Washington (April 10, 2020) – A pedestrian died in a collision that occurred on State Route 18 on Friday night. According to an article from the Auburn Reporter, the victim, a 55 year-old man from Hoquiam, died at the scene. The driver, an 18 year-old woman from Auburn, was not reported to be injured in the incident.

According to the report, the woman was heading west on State Route 18 from State Route 516 around 11:16 p.m. The victim was standing in lane one when he was struck by the vehicle. Troopers have ruled the cause to be pedestrian in the roadway and no charges have been made. It is not yet known why th victim was standing in the roadway. The incident caused the highway to be closed for about fours hours.

About Pedestrian Accidents

We offer our sympathies and compassion for the friends and loved ones of the victim. 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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