Pedestrians Injured in Avoidable Portsmouth, VA Accidents | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

Separate traffic accidents left two pedestrians in Portsmouth, Virginia (VA), badly injured. Both wrecks appear to have been easily avoidable, and the at-fault drivers will face charges for causing the crashes.

 

 

The more serious of the accidents occurred at around 7:30 pm on October 3, 2014. A person walking along Dunkirk Road was struck from behind by a driver who then fled the scene. Police did not have a good description of the vehicle, and they are asking any witnesses to contact them by calling the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP (562-5887).

Earlier in the week, a driver hit and injured a school crossing guard. That wreck happened close to 7:45 am on September 30 at the intersection of River Shore Road and Oakhurst Road. The at-fault driver stopped and waited for emergency responders to arrive, but she was cited for failing to yield right of way to a pedestrian.

Here’s the thing: Pedestrians always have right of way when using a crosswalk or clearly identified walkway — as the crossing guard surely was doing. The situation for the crash on Dunkirk is less clear-cut, but the fact that the person who ran into the walker drove off puts that person at fault for at least one major — possibly felonious — traffic violation.

As a longtime Virginia personal injury lawyer, I know that when people on foot get hit by cars, trucks or SUVs, the wounds can be disabling and deadly. News reports of the Portsmouth wrecks suggest the victims are likely to recover, but that is only good news if one ignores why the people needed to go the hospital in the first place. All drivers must stay on the lookout for pedestrians at all time and be prepared to slow or stop to avoid accidents.

EJL