Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog
Automobile accidents involving individuals on foot can happen almost anywhere vehicular traffic is located near pedestrian crosswalks, bus stops and even in shopping malls and parking lots. Tens of thousands of people are hurt and injured after being hit by cars and trucks, and even by bicycles, especially in the city. As Baltimore injury accident attorneys, I and my colleagues understand the extent of injuries that can be sustained in an auto-pedestrian traffic accident.
From simple bumps and bruises to serious cuts, compound fractures and head injuries, being struck by a motor vehicle can lead to extensive medical procedures and correspondingly high hospital bills. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly one in every 14 traffic accidents involving a person on foot results in a death. This happens despite the efforts that most pedestrians go to in order to avoid being hit by a car, SUV or commercial truck.
Although numerous car-pedestrian crashes happen when people are crossing a street or rural road, accidents can also occur when individuals are jogging or running for sport or exercise. The danger also extends to car-bicycle collisions, where motor vehicle operators sometimes claim they did not see the victim until it was too late. In a city, slower moving elderly residents can be extremely vulnerable to vehiclular collisions as they cannot jump out of the way as easily as a younger person.
Regardless of the cause, the result of any automobile-related pedestrian crash can be catastrophic for the relatively unprotected pedestrian. A recent incident in Baltimore County showed how tragic this kind of accident can be. According to news reports, a 31-year-old woman died on a Saturday night after she was hit by a motor vehicle while attempting to cross a road on foot.
Rebekah Hamman may have been tying to run across the roadway and avoid an approaching northbound automobile when she was struck on Bel Air Road around 9:30pm on May 1. Emergency crews at the scene treated and transported the gravely injured woman to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
Based on an initial accident scene investigation by Baltimore County Police Department, Hamman was apparently crossing Bel Air Road just south of Still Meadow Road when she ran into the path of the vehicle. There is a bus stop nearby, from which the woman may have started to cross the roadway. Whatever the starting point, police said that Hamman apparently tried to outrun the oncoming vehicle after she had already made her way part way across the street.
According to reports, the force of the crash threw Hamman into the northbound lane of Bel Air Road. The driver reportedly stopped and called 911 — and no charges were pending against the driver at the time of the news report.
Woman killed in weekend pedestrian accident, BaltimoreSun.com, May 2, 2010