Pedestrian deaths rose 26% percent between 2014 and 2018, and continue to rise.

Two women pedestrians were injured after being hit by a pikup truck early Saturday morning, March 6, 2021, in Bishop, according to a report by the Bishop Office California Highway Patrol. According to the accident report the major injury accident occurred at around 1:15 a.m. on the southbound U.S. 395, just south of Pa Ha Lane.

The two women, ages 21 and 24, were walking on the inside lane of southbound U.S. 395 when they were struck by a 2001 Dodge pickup heading southbound at approximately 30 to 35 miles per hour.

The 21-year-old woman sustained major injuries. The 24-year-old woman suffered minor injuries. Both were taken to the Northern Inyo Hospital.

The driver of the involved vehicle, a 43-year-old, stopped at the scene. Alcohol or drugs were not considered a factor in the accident.

The crash remains under investigation.

TIPS FROM THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY (OTS)

Stay OFF your phone whether driving or walking! Pay attention!

Pedestrian Accidents Numbers according to the California Office of Traffic Safety (COTS):

• 2018: 893 pedestrians were killed on California roadways, a 26% increase from 2014.
• 2018: More than 14,000 pedestrians injured.
• Pedestrian deaths rose 26% percent between 2014 and 2018.
• Nearly 7,500 pedestrians have died in California between 2009 and 2018.
• California’s pedestrian fatality rate is almost 25% higher than the national average.
• No state has more pedestrian deaths on its roadways than California.

[Courtesy New York Dept. of Transportation]

• Make yourself visible: wear bright colored clothes and carry a flashlight if you are walking at night.
• Avoid dangerous behaviors: always walk on the sidewalk (no jaywalking), stay sober and make eye contact with drivers – don’t assume the driver can see you.
• Stay off your phones, talking and especially texting distracts you from paying attention to your surroundings.
• Look before you step: cross streets at marked crosswalks/intersections, obey traffic signals and watch for turning vehicles.
• Look left-right-left before crossing a street.
• [Added: Be especially alert at night when it is very dark or in bad weather such as rain that makes it hard to be seen.]

Safety Tips for Drivers from the COTS:

• Don’t speed, follow the speed limit and never use your phone; always be cautious of your surroundings.
• Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
• Look out for pedestrians, especially in hard-to-see conditions such as at night or in bad weather.
• Pedestrians have the right of way at any crosswalk or intersection, so yield and be prepared to stop.
• Stop at the crosswalk stop line to give drivers in other lanes an opportunity to see and yield to pedestrians too.
• Be cautious when backing up – pedestrians, especially young children, can move across your path.

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