Posted in Car Accident,Pedestrian Accident,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on November 25, 2015
Nashville Woman Suffers Serious Injuries after Being Hit by Truck
A woman was walking on Massman Drive in south Nashville Tuesday night when she was struck by a pickup truck, causing her to suffer life-threatening injuries.
According to a report by wkrn.com, the accident occurred around 10 p.m. Tuesday night near Oak Grove Drive. A representative for the Nashville Police Department told reporters that the woman had been sitting inside a parked vehicle on Massman Drive with another person when she exited the vehicle and started walking in the direction of Oak Grove Drive.
While she was walking toward the intersection of the two streets, she was hit by a Toyota 4Runner that was also driving on Massman Drive and headed towards Interstate 40. The impact of the collision caused the woman to suffer severe injuries that were deemed to be life-threatening, and she was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to receive treatment.
In response to the accident, police blocked off Massman Drive in order to investigate what caused the crash to occur. Police say there are currently no plans to charge the truck driver for his role in the accident.
3 Important Pedestrian Safety Tips
Pedestrians are often at risk when walking near roadways in Middle Tennessee. Many roads aren’t equipped with sidewalks, but even that can’t completely reduce the risks that pedestrians face every time they begin traveling somewhere on foot. While it’s impossible to completely eliminate your risk of being injured in an accident as a pedestrian, there are a few safety tips you can follow to make yourself less likely to be struck by a vehicle:
If there’s a sidewalk available, put as much space between yourself and oncoming traffic as possible. All it takes is a driver losing control or becoming distracted for a brief moment for their vehicle to clip the sidewalk and come into contact with you, potentially causing serious injuries. In addition, walk as far away from traffic as possible on the shoulder of the road if no sidewalk is available, and if the shoulder is narrow, consider walking in the grass if it’s possible to do so.
Wearing clothing that’s eye-catching and reflective isn’t just a good idea at night—it’s something that you should do anytime you’re planning on traveling on or near a roadway regardless of the time of day. By making yourself as easily seen as possible, drivers will be aware of your presence from a much farther distance, making you much less likely to be a victim of a pedestrian accident.
When you need to cross the street, only do so are crosswalks. Attempting to cross the street in areas without crosswalks—especially on streets or highways with high speed limits or where drivers are known to exceed the speed limit—is extremely dangerous. When crossing at a crosswalk, always look both ways, even if you have a walk signal or you have the right of way. It’s important to be aware of the behaviors and presence of drivers, as they don’t always follow the rules of the road.
Pedestrian safety is an often overlooked aspect of overall road safety. There are many inherent risks associated with walking on or near roadways, especially near areas with heavy traffic, but following the tips above can help reduce your likelihood of being involved in a serious accident.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Nashville pedestrian accident attorneys know that victims of these types of accidents often suffer serious and even life-threatening injuries that can lead to disabilities and difficulty returning to work. If you or someone you love was injured in a pedestrian accident, our legal team may be able to help you recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more. Get in touch with us today—just dial (615) 200-1111 or complete a free online consultation form.
