We started off Premier Law Group as a personal injury law firm in Seattle, Washington, and after spending several years working in downtown Seattle I understand how crowded and stressful the streets can be. With stop lights at every block and most streets being one way it can be an overwhelming situation for any driver. Because of these stressful conditions, and the lack of reasonable parking, many choose to tread the streets on foot and take public transportation when traveling long distances. Pedestrians, however, have their own set of annoyance and dangers and sometimes walking through busy Seattle streets can end in serious pedestrian injuries or even a fatality, such as what happened Wednesday morning.
On November 17th an elderly woman was struck and killed by a dump truck in a fatal pedestrian accident. At roughly 9 am the woman was walking from the Northwest Harvest Food Bank, located at 8th and Cherry towards 7th Avenue. According to witnesses the woman did not see the trailer of the dump truck and was struck by the vehicle. The dump truck driver immediately called 911, but paramedics quickly proclaimed the woman dead.
An investigation into the fatal pedestrian accident is ongoing and the victim’s name has not been released.
As in other large cities, walking is a common form of transportation. Even for those who drive or take the bus you spend a considerable amount of time walking the busy streets to and from your parking spot or bus stop. It is crucial that not only drivers watch for pedestrians, but that pedestrians also pay attention to the vehicles around them. Just because there are pedestrian right-of-way laws does not mean they are always followed or that vehicles can even see you. Pedestrians and vehicles alike must do their part to prevent fatal pedestrian accidents.