A 17-year-old Carson City teen suffered non-life threatening injuries and is recovering at Renown Medical Center in Reno following a pedestrian accident Saturday night at the intersection crosswalk of Highway 50 and Lompa Lane. The accident is under investigation and alcohol may be a factor, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper said Sunday.
The 17-year-old victim was flown by Care Flight following the accident, that happened at around 10:50 p.m. Contacted this morning, family of the 17-year-old said he had suffered a broken arm, pelvic injuries, scrapes and bruises. The driver of the vehicle who hit the teen has been identified as a 32-year-old Reno man, said NHP Trooper Daniel Lopez. The accident is under investigation because alcohol may have played a factor, he said.
Carson City Sheriff's Office Sgt. Scott McDaniel said Saturday night's accident happened while the teenager was in the crosswalk and had the right-of-way.
The crash does bring bring attention to the overall issue of crosswalk safety and the responsibilities of pedestrians and motorists. The number of pedestrians on sidewalks will increase as the season changes and the weather warms, he said. This increases the number of pedestrians at night that will be crossing the streets and using the sidewalks.
While most pedestrians do follow the rules of the road and cross safely and legally at sidewalks and intersections, many do not and that can lend itself to dangerous and even fatal consequences, said McDaniel.
“When you make the decision to cross where you should not, you take a risk of being struck by a vehicle as the driver is not expecting you to be in the roadway. The same goes for walking next to the curb. Most drivers would expect you to be on the sidewalk and not alongside the roadway,” said McDaniel.
The injuries that you can receive when struck by a 2000 pound or more moving object can be severe if not fatal. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 4,743 pedestrians were killed in the United States in 2013.
In Nevada, 72 pedestrians were killed in 2014. At least one of those was in Carson City when a local man was struck by a motorcycle and killed Nov. 11, 2014 while walking through a crosswalk at Stewart and Telegraph streets.
“Although these were not all nighttime related deaths, it is more difficult to be seen at night especially if you are wearing dark clothing or are taking unnecessary risks when walking,” said McDaniel. “Why risk it? Cross the street at the crosswalk, wear light colored or reflective clothing and stay on the sidewalk. These simple things will help make a difference in reducing pedestrian related crashes.”