Lord Jesus Christ Run Down By Car
Lord Jesus Christ was in a marked crosswalk walking across the street when he was struck by a Massachusetts driver. Police officers gave the young woman at fault for hitting Christ, a citation at the scene for neglecting to yield to the pedestrian. Christ, whose name was confirmed when officers checked his identification, luckily only sustained minor injuries which included lacerations on his face. The 50-year-old man was discharged from the hospital shortly after his injuries were treated.
This case brings up a good point regarding pedestrian laws. Nearly all states have laws requiring drivers to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. A crosswalk can mean a marked crosswalk with horizontal white stripes and a blinking yellow light, or it can just be a regular intersection without any of that. Regardless, pedestrians have the right-of-way since they are at a great disadvantage should they come in contact with a car. At the Law Offices of Kirk Bernard, we have seen devastating accidents with life-long disabilities resulting from pedestrian accidents. Unfortunately, many could have been avoided had drivers and pedestrians exercised greater caution.
These laws shouldn't give pedestrians the right to wander through the streets aimlessly with total disregard for traffic. There have been instances where a pedestrian will automatically walk out into the street without scanning for oncoming traffic, or they don't properly gauge how fast a vehicle is traveling and the time it will realistically take them to stop. Sometimes cars parked too closely to an intersection make it impossible for drivers to see a waiting pedestrian.
As a Seattle personal injury lawyer, I think pedestrians should have to exercise as least some amount of caution. Afterall, if they're distracted by texting or talking on a cell phone while walking, they might accidentally step right in front of a bus passing by. Pedestrians need to assume some level of responsibility and caution when approaching an intersection, just as drivers need to slow down and keep watch for potential pedestrians. You can read more about this particular story here.