Most people wouldn’t give a second thought to taking a stroll outside, whether it’s to get some exercise and fresh air or to get somewhere. Once a pedestrian leaves the safety of the sidewalk to cross to the other side of the road, things can take a dangerous turn.
On the afternoon of June 28, a 71-year-old woman was walking down Main Street in one of Connecticut’s quaint towns. According to police reports, she was hit by a car said to be a Ford Explorer that was traveling east as she attempted to cross the street. The driver, a 76-year-old man, was not injured in the collision.
Local law enforcement were forced to close down a portion of Main Street to allow Life Star to land so that emergency medical responders could attempt to treat the woman and get her to a nearby hospital where she could receive the full medical attention she needed. Unfortunately, the woman died that evening as a result of the injuries she sustained in the incident.
Any time a pedestrian is injured or killed by a motorist, it’s tragic. When the people involved are senior citizens, the tragedy becomes even worse. Many accidents like this one happen when a driver is distracted, intoxicated or simply reckless, but when it’s a senior citizen driving the car that is alleged to be at fault, lowered response time due to age often comes into question. Not only did the woman lose her life, but if it is proven that this man caused the accident and there were no other factors are at play, it is possible that his license will be revoked.
That will probably be little solace to the family of the woman who died. The surviving family members have the right to pursue legal action against the driver of the car who struck her.
Source: NBC Connecticut, “71-Year-Old Pedestrian Dies After Car Hits Her: Police,” June 21, 2014