Charlotte Man Killed in Fatal Car Accident
A North Carolina man was fatally struck along Highway 485 near Charlotte, North Carolina while attempting to wave down help after he struck a snow bank.
About the Fatal North Carolina Pedestrian Accident
- The recent snow accumulation in the South has both drivers and pedestrians ill prepared.
- State troopers say that Billy Ridings from North Carolina was traveling down the right lane of Highway 485 to Clover, NC from Charlotte, when he struck a large snow bank.
- According to WSOC-TV, Ridings was said to have exited his car near Morris Chapel and I-85 to flag down help, but was struck by a passing motorist.
- Ridings died at the hospital, and the driver who hit Ridings is recovering in the hospital. Billy Ridings leaves behind a wife and daughter.
- This is Charlotte’s second weather related death due to the recent snowfall.
Pedestrian Injury Facts
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC), 4,280 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United States in 2010.
- Another 70,000 pedestrians were injured that same year.
- Pedestrians ages 65 and older accounted for 19% of all pedestrian deaths and 11% of those injured in 2010.
- Most pedestrian deaths occur in urban areas, non-intersection locations, and at night.
- There is a pedestrian crash related death every 2 hours and an injury every 8 minutes.
How Can Pedestrians Prevent Death and Injuries?
- It’s much safer for pedestrians to walk on/along sidewalk, and if in traffic, they should walk facing traffic.
- Pedestrians should always cross the street at a traffic light/designated crosswalk.
- If you are walking, Increase your visibility.
- If you are walking at night, carry a flashlight or wear retro-reflective clothing.
