News 4 Jax reports that one pedestrian was killed and another was injured when they were hit by a pickup truck while walking on U.S. Highway 1 in St. Johns County on Wednesday night, May 11. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the 35-year-old man and the 32-year-old woman, both from Hastings, were walking northbound just past North Boulevard around 10 p.m. when a 20-year-old behind the wheel of an Isuzu pickup truck hit them. The right front of the pickup hit the man, who then hit the windshield. He was taken to Flagler Hospital where he later died. The woman suffered minor injuries. According to the FHP report, the pickup truck driver was distracted for a moment and the Isuzu drifted onto the shoulder where it hit the pedestrians. Charges against the driver are pending, according to the FHP.
Our sincere condolences go out to the family of this man for this tragic accident. Please keep him in your prayers.
Pedestrian Dangers in Florida
Unfortunately, Florida had the second highest number of pedestrian fatalities in 2009, behind California, with 466 pedestrian deaths, according to a report released in January by the Governors Highway Safety Association. While there are many reasons behind pedestrian deaths, we do know that distracted driving was blamed for 5,474 fatal crashes in 2009, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Distracted driving was blamed for 16 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2009.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of a distracted driver, whether as a pedestrian or a motorist, the Florida personal injury attorneys at Farah & Farah understand that lives can change in a split second. Let us help investigate your accident in order to hold negligent parties accountable for their actions in order for you to receive the compensation you need and deserve.
