New Castle – The Delaware State Police are investigating a serious pedestrian crash that occurred on US 13 Friday afternoon, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Gary Fournier.
Fournier said the incident occurred around 5:28 p.m. Friday November 17, 2017 in the area of South DuPont Parkway (US13) southbound and Old State Road when a 35-year-old male was attempting to cross US13 from west to east. A 2006 Ford Explorer being operated by a 58-year-old male was southbound on US13 in the left lane and was unable to see the pedestrian and struck him with the front of the vehicle. The Explorer was able to come to a controlled stop after the collision.
The 35-year-old male pedestrian from the New Castle area was wearing dark-colored clothing and not carrying a flashlight, was treated on the scene by New Castle County Paramedics and transported to Christiana Medical Center where he was admitted in critical condition, said Fournier.
The 58-year-old male operator of the Explorer, from the New Castle area, was properly restrained and uninjured in the crash.
Traffic on the southbound lanes of US13 were impacted for two hours while the crash was investigated and cleared.
Just one day prior to this accident, in the same area, a 67-year-old New Castle woman was struck and killed trying to cross Route 40.
“Both pedestrians and motorists need to be more aware of their surroundings and exercise more caution so we can avoid these tragedies,” said Ken Grant, Public and Government Affairs Manager with AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Even though Delaware is considered among the deadliest states for pedestrians, most motorists don’t recognize the severity of the danger on our roads.”
AAA Mid-Atlantic is a part of the Advisory Council on Walkability and Pedestrian Awareness which works to implement a Statewide Pedestrian Action Plan working with organizations including DelDOT, WILMAPCO and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS).
In a recent AAA Mid-Atlantic poll, 1,240 Delaware drivers were asked if they thought pedestrian safety was a big problem in Delaware.
50 percent said it was not
39 percent said it was
11 percent weren’t sure
Drivers were also asked when driving, how often they stopped or yielded for crossing pedestrians.
72 percent said all the time
23 percent said only if they are crossing in a marked crosswalk
4 percent said only sometimes
1 percent said never
Safety organizations like the Delaware Office of Highway Safety and AAA remind both pedestrians and the motoring public to be extra vigilant, stay alert and avoid distractions:
Pedestrians:
· Cross only in crosswalks or at intersections with traffic signals; Use crosswalks when crossing the street. If a crosswalk is unavailable, be sure to find the most well-lit spot on the road to cross and wait for a long enough gap in traffic to make it safely across the street.
· Carry a flashlight or wear reflective clothing at night.
· Use sidewalks whenever possible.
· Do not walk under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Drivers:
· Look out for pedestrians at all times. When you are operating a vehicle, you have accepted a heightened responsibility for other people on the road.
· Always yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. When approaching a crosswalk, reduce your speed and be prepared to stop.
· Obey the posted speed limits. This is even more important in areas that have lower speed limits, such as school zones and neighborhood streets where pedestrians may appear suddenly.
· Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Getting behind the wheel while impaired puts everyone in danger.
Original Breaking Report
New castle – At approximately 5:30 pm yesterday evening New Castle County Paramedics and Wilmington Manor Fire Company were dispatched to the intersection of South DuPont Highway and Galloway Court for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle, according to Paramedic First Class Yvonne Russell.
Russell said upon arrival New Castle County Paramedics found the patient, 35-year-old male, in care of emergency medical technicians (EMT’s) from Wilmington Manor Fire Company. The patient suffered injuries to his chest and head. The patient was transported to Christiana Hospital via Wilmington Manor Fire Company ambulance accompanied by New Castle County Paramedics. The patient was in critical condition at the time of transport.