HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — It's been a week since Athens Police arrested one hit-and-run suspect that struck a pedestrian on US - 72. Police are also still searching for another driver who hit a pedestrian at the intersection of Highway 72 and Hine Street. .
Athens Police Department's Administrative Captain Brett Constable believes there are multiple factors at work. "You've got traffic coming in from the west that's only been told to slow down for about a block or two from roughly 50 or 55 to 45. And as we know, people don't make that drop in speed as quickly as they should, and the lighting needs some improvement. Unfortunately, people are texting and driving, not looking up as frequently as they should."
According to Alabama Law, the focus is on safety for the pedestrian. "Any crossing between, you know, say you have an intersection half a mile or a mile apart, they want you to travel to that intersection and cross there when it's safe to do so or a marked crosswalk. We highly recommended and Alabama Law prescribes that you would walk to the nearest intersection and wait for the red light for whichever direction you're trying to cross."
One major area of concern for pedestrian crossing in Athens is US 72 and Hine Street, and this can be dangerous for pedestrians. "We keep having trouble in that, US 72 and Hine street area. With Daylight Saving time especially ending and it getting dark at 4:30p and stuff like that, it's our traffic volume. It's a good thing to be a growing city, but the traffic volume is up to almost 32,000 cars a day in that area, and you just want to wear the light clothing. Perhaps, I've seen people with flashlights as they walk, especially if they walk their dog and so on. Just use all due caution."
One important thing to note is the penalty should a driver hit a pedestrian and leave the scene. "Well, that's where it gets complicated. It becomes a Class C Felony if somebody is injured or it results in death and a Class C Felony's punishable by up to ten years in prison and up to a $15,000 fine."
However, if the driver remains at the scene and helps administer aid, the driver could be less likely to face charges. Constable says, "If you stay there and you know, you let us work our investigation, we're going to cooperate. And again, to what we talked about earlier, if the responsibility is on the pedestrian to make sure it's clear, more than likely you're not going to face any charges."
Another key component to keep in mind is always wearing gear that is visible to drivers. "In my neighborhood, you see a lot of joggers and fast walkers and they have the clothing actually comes with some reflective strips on it and so on. At the very least, something very light colored. Bike riders need to have a clear headlight to the front and a red light to the back, and you're going to ride with traffic the direction that the traffic's going."