Scree - November 28, 2010
Road Kill
In TN it seems that pedestrians are almost considered road kill. Even though pedestrians have the right of way, if a vehicle hits and injures or kills a pedestrian, the chances are slim that the driver will even be charged with the incident.
There is no way a pedestrian is going to avoid injury after a crash with a vehicle. The walker weighs (probably) less than 200 pounds and is moving less than 3 miles an hour. The vehicle weighs 6,000 pounds (a Honda Odyssey with no one inside) and is traveling 45 miles per hour. The walker is protected by a pair of 1 pound shoes. The vehicle has front end crash energy management, seat belts, air bags, anti-lock brakes, and stability assistance. Any collision can be deadly to the pedestrian and merely a bump to the vehicle.
The pedestrian might be the one at fault, but that does not make the incident any easier for the family of the accident victim. Drivers should always be responsible for their actions while operating a vehicle. Folks, that being who is walking, running, or bicycling along the road with the 3 ton vehicles is a human being - not road kill. Slow down, avoid distractions, and give the pedestrian the benefit of the doubt.
