SAN ANTONIO, TX — A pedestrian was seriously hurt in a tractor-trailer accident that happened in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, March 31st, 2014, according to a news report from KENS5.
Authorities working with accident investigators think that 17-year-old Cody Culp was hurt when he was struck by a tractor-trailer before being dragged upwards of 40 feet when he was walking along or trying to cross Leslie Road. The accident happened Monday morning.
Scene of the Accident
Officials transported Cody Culp to nearby University Hospital where he remains in critical condition at the time of writing. No other injuries were mentioned in the report.
The accident is currently under investigation.
Commentary:
Many details have been left out of the report, but there are many questions I have about this particular accident. Unfortunately, many people I talk to seem to have the misconception that “pedestrians ALWAYS have the right-of-way”, which is simply not the case. Unless you are struck by a vehicle in a parking lot, there really is not many situations that are optimistic for the pedestrian, but there are always exceptions. If a pedestrian is in the roadway, and the driver sees them from a far enough distance that they can avoid the accident, then there is no excuse to hit them. Additionally, if the pedestrian is in the roadway when a vehicle is turning onto the road, the driver has an obligation to ensure the path that they are turning into is clear and safe. If a driver fails to do this and hits a person, they can bear at least some liability from the accident.
–Grossman Law Offices
