As reported in the New York Times on February 15, 2011 the 45-year-old nephew of the Dalai Lama, Jigme K. Norbu of Bloomington, Indiana was struck by a Sport Utility Vehicle at about 7:30 p.m. along the edge of State Road A1A which extends the length of Florida’s East Coast. He was pronounced dead at the scene according to the Florida Highway Patrol.  Norbu was walking as a part of a “Walk for Tibet”, a 300-mile march from St. Augustine to West Palm Beach to promote several international causes.  The driver of the vehicle that struck Norbu was Keith O’Dell, 31, of nearby Palm Coast. He and his 5-year-old son were not injured and no charges have been filed against him.

What can we learn from this tragic pedestrian accident?   When walking along the side of the road make sure you are visible to all traffic. Do not assume the driver sees you. In pedestrian verses motor vehicle accidents the pedestrian will lose.

Pedestrian injury accidents happen in Kentucky. As the weather gets warmer more people will be on the road. Pedestrians, who suffer serious injuries, or even a fatality in traffic accidents, are the result of violation of a traffic law. Pedestrians are vulnerable day or night. Kentucky drivers should keep a look out for pedestrians walking along the street, in crosswalks and outside of the crosswalks.  Pedestrian should follow rules and road signs at night. They should not wear dark clothing. Instead reflective shirts, bands or flash lights should be used. This will make you more visible on the side of a dark road.

Pedestrians and bicyclists beware! The Smart Car could get you. A problem has arisen with the national trend toward the development of electric cars. Electric cars make very little sound. That is a good thing for a driver and a passenger trying to carry on a conversation, but a potentially dangerous situation for pedestrians and bicyclists. Bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents can be deadly.

The goal of the manufacturers of electric cars has been to develop and make them as quite as possible, as if the occupants were riding on air. This lack of noise and quietness can be extremely dangerous for those who depend on the noise of a car to avoid an accident. When I am out on the road riding my bicycle it is hard for me to hear an electric car until it is right up on me and passing me. It is as if it appeared from no where.

My wife has had the same experience while she is out walking for exercise. She trains for walks as long as 26 miles. I have heard her complain of cars sneaking up on her. This can be dangerous for all concerned. It is just as dangerous for a pedestrian crossing the road at a crosswalk. If a car making a turn and coming around the corner it is out of the sight of the pedestrian. The likelihood of an accident is increased if the pedestrian is not able to hear a car coming. I suspect that this is an even greater problem for the visually impaired.

Engineers are developing ideas to equip electric cars with artificial noises. Maybe in the future you will be able to pick the sound your car makes as it goes down the road much the way you now pick ring tones for your cell phone. I might pick a Jimmy Buffett song for my car.

At a meeting this September Nissan presented several proposed sounds to the National Highway Safety Administration. These artificial noises included:

·        The Chime

·        The Melody

·        A Futuristic Whirl

Congress is looking into legislation that would require vehicles to give “non-visual” warnings to pedestrians. There is a divide as to whether these sounds should be added to the electric car.

I believe adding sounds to an electric car will help to prevent some serious and deadly automobile accidents involving pedestrians and bicycles. This is especially true in the city. Without some sound coming from a car a bike or a pedestrian has very little chance of avoiding a serious accident.

Several years ago I was waiting for the light to change so I could cross. I was standing at the corner of 5^th Street and Muhammad Ali Blvd. I had my mind on a court hearing I was headed to. As the cross walk sign changed from “Don’t Walk” to “Walk” I put my foot over the curb and stepped into the cross walk. As I was doing this I heard a loud noise and instinctively stepped backed as a bus roared by me as it ran the red light. I was very close to becoming a hood ornament. Without the noise the bus made I am sure I would have been.

There are sounds on crosswalks and in elevators. Putting a noise or warning system on electric cars seems like a no brainer to me. It will make Kentucky roads safer and give bikers and walkers a chance at avoiding a serious car accident.

Running a red light is dangerous for everyone on the road. I drive in downtown Louisville every day and there isn’t one single day that goes by that I don’t witness a red light being run by a car that either isn’t paying attention or is in a hurry. Whether it is texting and driving or being late for work, to a majority of the population in Louisville, Kentucky a yellow light seems to mean to press the right foot hard on the accelerator. If you have a green light you had better check to make sure that the coast is clear in the other direction or you could be broad sided and find yourself an auto accident victim.  People are in a hurry and they are disregarding this simple traffic control device more and more often.

A few years I was waiting at the corner of Muhammad Ali Blvd. and 5^th Street to cross. The white walker began flashing and I took one step from the curb into the crosswalk. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something and jumped back. This was just in time to see a bus miss my nose by about six inches. Once I started breathing again I thanked God for sparing me and said a few choice words about the bus driver. My point is you should assume that there will be a car running a red light. Whether you are a pedestrian, bicyclist, riding a motorcycle or in a car you are in danger anytime you go through an intersection.

Napa Valley, California has installed cameras at several intersections and has been recording violations and issuing warnings by mail to the violators for the last 30 days. Starting this past Saturday violators are getting a ticket for $435 and photographic evidence that they ran a red light.  This evidence includes a color photo of the driver, the license plate, the traffic light changing to red before they entered the intersection and a final picture of the car in the intersection. Although I can see some due process violations I believe that these cameras would have a deterrent effect on those thinking of pressing hard on the accelerator and attempting to beat the light. There are warnings of the existence of the cameras before the intersection. I believe these cameras will save lives. It will be interesting to see the statistics after ninety days to see if this is the case.

Maybe it is time for Louisville to think about buying cameras for some of the busier intersections. I believe it can do nothing but make our Kentucky roads safer and help prevent many tragic auto accidents.

Summer is right around the corner. The weather is beautiful in Kentucky this time of year and this means that there are more pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcycles on Kentucky roads. When you are out driving and enjoying the weather be extra careful. Don’t be distracted and pay attention to what and who is on the road. This small change in your attitude could safe someone’s life.

Seattle Accident Attorney blog by attorney Chris Davis outlines an interesting program by the Seattle Police Department that I think more cities should embrace. I believe this program and police efforts will save lives. According to Davis, the Seattle Police are starting a program of “sting” operations to catch drivers who don’t stop for pedestrians. The police will be using live decoys. The pedestrian decoy will approach a cross walk and monitor a driver’s response. This is a great idea. I hope we see a similar operation in Louisville, Kentucky by the Louisville Metro Police Department.

Pedestrian accidents can be devastating. They can also be difficult to prove unless witnesses come forward. When a car collides with a person in the crosswalk or on the side of the road the results are almost always life changing. I know that there is a duty on the pedestrian to watch out for a car and many times the accident may be their fault. If a pedestrian is crossing outside the cross walk they may be partly to blame. If a child chases a ball into the street you may be to blame. Don’t take the chance. Slow down and watch out for pedestrians this summer. A crosswalk sting may be coming to a city near you.