AMARILLO, TX – One person was seriously injured in a pedestrian accident that happened in Amarillo, Texas on Wednesday, April 9th, 2014, according to a news report from The Amarillo Globe.
Investigators have reason to believe that one person was hurt when they were hit by a vehicle when they were walking along or trying to cross the street around the intersection of South Western Avenue and San Jacinto Avenue around 7:45 Wednesday morning.
Scene of the Accident
The girl was taken by EMS to a nearby hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.
The driver was cited for failure to yield to the right of way.
Authorities expect to release the findings of their investigation at a later date.
Commentary:
If this news article is to believed, the pedestrian seems to be in the right. Believe it or not, this is somewhat rare with pedestrians. People seem to have it stuck in their heads that ‘pedestrians always have the right of way’ when this is both incorrect, and dangerous information. Unless a pedestrian is in a parking lot, or other area with high foot and vehicle traffic, the pedestrian almost never has the right of way unless they find themselves in a protected crosswalk. If the driver was sitting at a stoplight waiting to turn, and failed to make sure the path he was turning into was clear and hit somebody, the driver can be held liable for any damages. Same holds true with crosswalks. The important thing to remember is that just because an offending driver is cited after an accident, does not translate to instant fault and liability, and an independent investigation is always warranted.
–Grossman Law Offices