October 27, 2014- Henrico County, Va.
A 42 year old woman was hit by a vehicle shortly after 8:30 PM at the intersection of West Broad Street and Gaskins Road in western Henrico.
The woman was transported to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. No charges were filed as of 10:00 PM.
Pedestrians have little to no protection against the impact of a vehicle; therefore, injuries sustained in auto-pedestrian accidents are likely to be severe.
There are state and local laws and ordinances that govern how and where pedestrians may walk and how and where they may cross the street. Rules like Virginia Law Code 46.2-928 require pedestrians to walk on the sidewalk if one is available.
If there is no sidewalk, pedestrians are required to stay to the far left, facing oncoming traffic or on the shoulder if it is wide enough to provide safe passage. Drivers are required to change course in order to avoid contact with a pedestrian. Motor vehicles must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk, whether the crosswalk is marked or not.
However, that same rule prohibits pedestrians from “carelessly or maliciously” interfering with the orderly passage of vehicles. Additionally, pedestrians are required to pay attention at crosswalks and obey “Walk” and “Don’t Walk” signage when there are pedestrian control signals.