Just yesterday two unfortunate people were killed in hit-and-run pedestrian accidents in Philadelphia. One took place at 1:30 am on the 200 block of North 63rd Street in West Philadelphia. The other took place at around 2:30 am in the Tacony neighborhood. Both accidents are believed to have been caused by SUV vehicles and both were in the dark in the very early hours of the morning.
What can we surmise from these accidents? One thing is that when one is driving a big sports utility vehicle, one is sitting high off the road. The hood of an SUV is much higher than an ordinary sedan and can obscure lower items or people on the street. This can prevent the driver from seeing pedestrians, especially smaller adults or children. Add to that the fact that it was dark and the SUV driver likely somewhat fatigued at that early hour and you have a recipe for disaster. Since these were hit-and-run accidents, we don't know whether any illegal substances or alcohol were in the system of the driver. In my experience, the reason many such drivers leave the scene is because they are trying to avoid getting charged with DUI.
There is no information regarding some other factors in such accidents. For example, why would a pedestrian be out walking on a city street in the wee hours of the morning? Perhaps some sort of emergency required it. Clearly, it certainly isn't against the law. Common sense would dictate that anyone who needs to walk on a city street at 1:30 or 2:30 a.m. should make every effort to wear light colored or reflective clothing and should be on a sidewalk, if available.
Hit and run accidents involving pedestrians in the city occur at a pace of more than one per day. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that there have been 473 hit-and-run crashes in Philadelphia as of October 15, 2024, 36 of which were fatal.
If you have been the victim of a hit-and-run pedestrian accident, whether in Philadelphia or anywhere in PA, call Sandra Worthington at Worthington Law Group-let us help you. For a free consultation at any of our offices throughout the state (main office in Flourtown, Montgomery County) call 215-576-5150.
