A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle while crossing Wisconsin Avenue at Chelsea Lane this morning, one of three pedestrian collisions reported today in Montgomery County.
Montgomery County Police say the incident happened at 7:47 a.m., just 25 minutes after a Watkins Mill High School student was struck in a crosswalk in Montgomery Village and about an hour before a mother with two elementary school-aged children was struck while crossing the driveway access point of a parking lot in Gaithersburg.
All the incidents remain under investigation, Police said. All pedestrians were transported to local emergency rooms with non-life threatening injuries.
The Wisconsin Avenue incident follows a Feb. 27 pedestrian collision in which a car turning onto Arlington Road hit a baby stroller, according to Bethesda Patch. The baby was uninjured.
In a press release today about the incidents, Police included a list of driver and pedestrian safety tips for avoiding similar collisions:
Drivers
- Look for pedestrians before you enter or exit a driveway. This is when you cross the sidewalk where pedestrians walk. Since they are on the sidewalk, they might be less alert than when crossing streets.
- Look all around your vehicle, all the time. Keep your eyes moving.
- With the spring coming, be on the look out for increased pedestrian traffic, increased bicycle traffic, and an increase in children playing at parks, in school yards, and in residential areas. Look for pedestrians stepping out from between parked cars. Where there are a lot of parked cars, there will likely be pedestrians
Pedestrians
- Stay alert while crossing roadways. Refrain from phone use, texting, and wearing ear buds.
- Be seen. Wear clothing with bright visible colors or even reflective cloth. If your clothing is dark, it is more difficult to be seen in any adverse light conditions.
- Be proactive by watching traffic when crossing. Always cross at a controlled intersection. At the signal, cross only when the “walk” signal is displayed.
- Before crossing, first look left, then right, then left again to check for any traffic.
- Parents are the most important models of proper pedestrian behavior for children.
Remember, be an engaged pedestrian. It may save your life.
