Man Struck By Car, Killed Crossing Austin Highway
A 79-year-old man was killed early Tuesday morning after being struck by a vehicle in Austin, Texas, while crossing U.S. 183 near Vargas Rd., according to KXAN NBC.
Details of the Accident
According to reports, the elderly man was walking in a crosswalk around 6 a.m. Tuesday morning when a silver sedan struck and killed him. The area of the roadway where the man was hit is locally known as Bastrop Highway. The victim’s daughter told reporters that her father was on his way to a nearby food bank when the accident occurred.
Neighbors pointed out how dangerous crossing that section of the highway can be at times. Red lights do not give pedestrians enough time to cross, they said. A spokesman from the Austin Transportation Department said a person is sent out to assess the situation and recommend safety improvements whenever there is a traffic fatality. He also noted the department had not received any formal complaints about the intersection.
Police said the driver of the vehicle that hit the man stopped and spoke with officers following the accident. The driver told authorities she had a green light. There were no other witnesses to the accident. Police did not issue the driver a citation.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say older adults are one of the groups at a high risk for death or injury in pedestrian accidents. 19% of all pedestrian deaths were aged 65 or older in 2011. That same age group accounted for 11% of pedestrian injuries.
