Over
the weekend, two people who were waiting at a “Ride On” bus stop in Kensington,
Montgomery County, Maryland, were struck
by a Toyota Prius that drove directly into the bus stop. The accident occurred Saturday morning on
Connecticut Avenue near Howard Avenue. A
witness at a nearby gas station said he saw three people at the bus stop, and
two of them managed to get out of harm’s way, but the third pedestrian was hit
and pinned under the car. That person
who was stuck under the car was an 18-year-old woman who fire fighters were
able to rescue. Witnesses described the
whole scene as “pretty graphic.” The
18-year-old woman suffered two broken legs, and doctors say she is expected to
survive. The other pedestrian that was
struck refused treatment at the scene.
The driver of the Prius was a
61-year-old man from Silver Spring.
Police originally thought this accident was the result of a DUI, but
later determined that was not the case.
Instead, officials believe some medical emergency, such as a seizure,
likely caused the crash. The driver was
taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Police officers have since said that the
driver will be ticketed for the crash.
Sadly, this is the second accident
in Montgomery County in a two-week period involving pedestrians being hit by
cars at a bus stop. On February 18, “an
out-of-control car” struck and killed Vanessa Dixon in Silver Spring as she was
waiting at the Montgomery County “Ride On” bus stop. The driver in this accident, a 22-year-old
man, was arrested for suspicion of DUI.
Although the accident this past
weekend was not alcohol related, the fact that two accidents have occurred at
bus stops in Montgomery County in a two-week period raises concerns about
pedestrian safety. Bus stops are set up
very close to the road without any protection for pedestrians waiting for buses
if a car does drive off the road and onto the sidewalk. New safety procedures might need to be
considered in order to better protect pedestrians waiting at bus stops.
If you or a family member have been
injured or killed in an accident at a bus stop or similar situation and would
like to consult an experienced personal injury attorney for free, contact our
office at (301) 854-9000 or visit us online at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/
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