Ashland Teen Struck by Car While Walking to School

An Ashland teenager suffered severe injuries after she was struck by a car while walking to school this morning.

The girl, 16, was crossing the street in front of the Ashland Town Hall when she was hit. It was unclear to authorities whether the girl was in the crosswalk at the time of the accident. The teen was rushed to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston via medical rescue helicopter with severe head trauma, and multiple bodily injuries. Authorities are still investigating the cause to this accident, and have not released the identity of the teenager.

Unfortunately, pedestrian traffic accidents account for more than 13% of all traffic-related fatalities and 3% of all personal injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) a pedestrian is injured every eight minutes and one pedestrian dies every two hours as the result of a traffic accident in the United States. Approximately 20% of all pedestrian car accidents according to the NHTSA, are also hit-and-run accidents. While we do not have much information about this particular incident, what can be assumed is that this young lady was walking during the early morning hours; at a time where there was minimal daylight.

In order to prevent an accident and keep themselves visible to motorists, pedestrians should always:
-Wear bright or reflective clothing and carry a flashlight when walking during the early hours of the morning, at dusk, or at night.
-Walk on sidewalks (whenever possible) and walk against the traffic when there are no sidewalks.
-Cross at designated crosswalks whenever possible.

In addition, drivers can prevent pedestrian accidents by:
-Yielding to the right-of-way to pedestrians crossing streets in marked or unmarked crosswalks.
-Yielding to pedestrians while turning at intersections or onto another street.
-Being vigilant and aware of pedestrians walking at night, when it is dark out.
-Slowing near major crosswalks.

Pedestrians are incredibly vulnerable during accidents, because unlike motorists, they have no physical barriers to protect themselves. Boston and the surrounding Massachusetts communities are filled with activity and traffic that pose serious threats to pedestrians’ safety. Broken bones, severe cuts and bruises, skin burns, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and even death are common injuries of pedestrian accidents.

There are a number of legal repercussions that can complicate recovery when a pedestrian is injured during a motor vehicle accident. Victims commonly wonder who is responsible for paying medical bills, lost wages, and what to do if the accident was a hit-and-run. All of these concerns and questions can be handled with the help of an experienced Boston Pedestrian Accident Attorney, at the law offices of Altman & Altman. Our seasoned attorneys have nearly 50 years of experience handling pedestrian accidents and we have all of the necessary resources to achieve the highest possible settlements for clients. We also have the resources to help you receive the highest level of medical care after an accident and we have connections to experts who can reconstruct the accident. If you or a loved one was the victim of a pedestrian accident, call the offices of Altman & Altman to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our talented Personal Injury Attorneys. Our lawyers are always available to answer any and all of your questions.