An elderly woman suffered serious injuries after a hit-and-run accident in Capitol Hill. Officials with the Seattle Police Department (SPD) said multiple people called 911 at 4:45 p.m. reporting that a hit-and-run accident had left a pedestrian injured. Witnesses, as well as an off-duty SPD officer stopped to help the victim by performing CPR until help arrived.
Van Left The Scene Of The Accident
Witnesses told officials that the woman was crossing East Madison Street Sunday afternoon when a black van turning from northbound 22nd Avenue to westbound West Madison hit her. The driver did not stop to provide help or call the authorities.
Medics with the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) rushed the victim to Harborview Medical Center. Officials said she was in critical condition.
Officials are still investigating this hit-and-run accident. No other vehicles or pedestrians were involved.
Hit-And-Run Accidents On The Rise
Insurance data shows that the number of fatal hit-and-run accidents increased by 44% in the last decade, with officials registering 16,936 fatal hit-and-run accidents in total during that period.
Across the United States, officials registered 1,939 deadly hit-and-run crashes in 2010 but in 2019, the number rose to 1,939. The year of 2016 had the highest number of deadly hit-and-runs with 2,012 collisions.
Overall, victims were more likely to be between 25 and 34-years-old during the same period. Pedestrians and bicycle riders are often the most vulnerable.
How Can We Prevent Hit-And-Run Accidents?
One of the main factors behind the rise in fatal accidents according to experts is distracted driving. Unfortunately, technology has made distraction part of our daily lives. Drivers and pedestrians are increasingly distracted by their phones and other electronic devices, often ignoring other vehicles and road signs as a result. When it comes to phone use behind the wheel, Washington state law states that drivers are forbidden from holding a cell phone while operating a vehicle. The use of hands-free technology is still allowed.
According to research conducted by AAA, however, hands-free cell phone use is still dangerous. In fact, AAA urges drivers to never use a cell phone, whether handheld or hands-free, while behind the wheel.
If you’re a Seattle resident and you drive regularly, keep in mind that distraction remains a factor in the increase in the number of deadly auto accidents in both the state and the country. The first step we should take to avoid accidents of all kinds is to never drive while distracted.
For more information on the hit-and-run Capitol Hill accident, follow this link.
Continue to follow our blog for more personal injury and auto accident news in Seattle and in the state of Washington.
