Dec. 26. Six months after a pedestrian fatality on Main Street, Davidson Police say there has been another incident near the South Street intersection: A pedestrian was struck and transported with non-life threatening injuries to the hospital Sunday.
A witness told police the pedestrian was crossing against the signal.
Troubling history
In June, Davidson resident Suzanne Younts died after being struck by a vehicle on Main Street near the intersections of Chairman Blake and South streets. The 64-year-old former teacher died on the scene.
Five years before, Janet McFadden, the owner of Davidson Pet Sitters, was struck and killed by a truck near the same intersection.
Task force
The two incidents prompted the Davidson Town Board to establish a task force this past fall to look at pedestrian safety. The task force presentation to the Town Board is here. To view the recommendations, click here.
It is absolutely sad and terrible when someone dies after being struck by an inattentive or reckless motorist. That being said, and I’m sure this won’t be popular, Davidson pedestrians are some of the most entitled I have ever encountered.
If you a crossing against the signal you better pick your spot and run if needed. Don’t just turn abruptly off the sidewalk and march out into the crosswalk. And yes I’ve seen it and have been offered the 1 finger salute.
I am well aware of how the crosswalk rule is written. I regularly stop, even in places where nobody does, if a pedestrian is waiting to cross.
But please, Davidson pedestrians, drop your entitlement and pay attention. I honestly don’t care when I am a pedestrian about what the law says. I do what momma taught me…Stop and look both ways. I only cross once I am SURE that the vehicles are going to stop. After all, who wants to get hit by a 5000 Lb car? Not me.😎
Great comments, Chris.
A pedestrian in a crosswalk still has an obligation to look and make sure that they can cross safely. To my knowledge, Davidson does not have a Municipal Code which requires pedestrians to cross the street at a marked crosswalk. In order to enforce crossing at crosswalks, Davidson must enact a code to enforce and then the penalties for just violation. Power under States police power.
Until Davidson police are allowed to write tickets to these people “J-walking” I don’t mean a warning, this is going to continue. This new crosswalk is useless because I had a person walk right in front of my car when I was the second car back from the new crosswalk.Better still, remove all the parking from the street that’s where people are coming out from and not looking in either directions before walking right out in front of a car, it’s happened to me a lot.It’s way past time to hold these people responsible for their lack of attention. I feel bad for the driver that hit that person and hope he gets an apology from the person that walked in front of his car. That driver probably has PTSD now.
Well said.