| Another pedestrian has been hit and killed while | | | | are especially dangerous. * Highway 99 accounted for |
| crossing the street in Seattle. Here's another story | | | | 10 percent of all pedestrian deaths. * Unsafe crossing |
| about a pedestrian who was hit and killed while | | | | practices were to blame for 42 percent of fatalities. * |
| crossing 23rd Avenue in Seattle's Central District. The | | | | About half of drivers in fatal pedestrian accidents |
| pedestrian, a woman in her 20's, died Friday night (Jan. | | | | were not charged. * About 60 percent of pedestrian |
| 4, 2008) while crossing the street. The accident | | | | fatalities were on roads with posted speed limits of 35 |
| occurred around 10 p.m. at the intersection of 23rd | | | | mph or slower. |
| Avenue South and South Dearborn Street. | | | | The report made 10 recommendations, including calling |
| The woman was crossing 23rd Avenue South from | | | | for a county pedestrian-safety conference. It urged |
| east to west when a northbound vehicle on the same | | | | police to write more tickets to pedestrians and drivers |
| street struck her. Seattle fire medics rushed her to | | | | alike for violating pedestrian-safety laws. Seattle |
| Harborview Medical Center, where she was | | | | Mayor Greg Nickels introduced a plan to improve |
| pronounced dead. The driver remained at the scene | | | | pedestrian safety through public-service |
| and cooperated with police officers investigating the | | | | announcements, signs and route improvements. |
| accident. | | | | Just in my office alone, I've seen an unprecedented |
| According to a profile of pedestrian fatalities, written | | | | number of cases involving pedestrian-auto accidents. |
| by the King County Health Department, pedestrians | | | | Most involve very serious injuries. Some also involve |
| make up 20 percent of the motor-vehicle fatalities in | | | | the death of the pedestrian. My own experience tells |
| the county. The national average is 11 percent, and the | | | | me that there has been an increase in pedestrian-car |
| state average is 12 percent. | | | | accidents. Please, if you will be walking or crossing the |
| A 2005 study looked at the 103 pedestrian fatalities in | | | | streets while it's dark out, try to wear light clothing or |
| King County between 2000 and 2003 — an | | | | reflective clothing so drivers can easily see you. Never |
| average of 26 a year — to try to find trends or | | | | let a child cross the street without an adult. And |
| problem areas. Among the key findings: * One in four | | | | drivers, please slow down, especially in school zones |
| pedestrians killed was over 60. * The winter months | | | | and in areas with high pedestrian traffic. |