Police reported that an elderly person was struck and killed on the Schuylkill Expressway on Monday morning around 5:30 a.m. According to police in an updated report, the person stepped in front of oncoming traffic. The incident happened near Passyunk Avenue, close to Vare Avenue. The driver remained at the scene of the accident in South Philadelphia. Call a Philadelphia car accident attorney following the loss of a loved one.
Oncoming Traffic Pedestrian Accidents
When a pedestrian is struck, it is often thought that the driver is at fault and that there is nothing the pedestrian could have done to contribute to the incident. That is true in many cases, but not all. Police will need to investigate whether the driver had sufficient time to stop and should have avoided the pedestrian in this accident.
There are times when a pedestrian can step out into traffic unexpectedly, not allowing a driver enough time to stop their vehicle. In this type of situation, it may not have been the driver’s fault. This often occurs when a person steps out into traffic outside of a crosswalk or tries crossing the street when traffic has the right of way.
In many other cases, a driver has time to stop if they are paying attention to road conditions. For example, if a person is in a crosswalk, the driver is responsible for ensuring no one is in that crosswalk before crossing it. Even if the driver has the right of way, if they have time to stop, they need to do so.
If you were hurt, our car accident lawyers in South Philadelphia at Kwartler Manus can help.