Car accidents involving pedestrians are more common than anyone wants to acknowledge. Most people in Miami assume that they are safe if they are obeying pedestrian traffic laws and not lingering in the street. Sadly, this is not always the case. When a car does collide with a pedestrian the outcome is often catastrophic due to the individual’s lack of protection. Earlier this month a 67-year-old man was killed while sitting at a bus stop with his wife by a car that lost control. The Doral accident occurred around 1400 block of Northwest 107th Avenue.
According to a Miami-Dade Police spokesman, just prior to the accident a 42-year-old woman was driving a Ford Mustang in the wrong direction down 107th Avenue. The car jumped the curb and hit the bus bench upon which the man was sitting. He died at the scene. Fortunately his wife was able to move quickly enough to avoid being hit by the car barreling toward her.
Though incidents such as this are commonly due to alcohol or drug impairment, police have made clear the driver was not intoxicated. Instead, the driver’s loss of control of the vehicle is being blamed on an undisclosed medical condition.
Whatever the reason for the crash, the wife of the 67-year-old is undoubtedly suffering. While there is nothing that can be done to bring her husband back, the woman may be entitled to damages for a variety of issues including pain and suffering and emotional distress. Any damages recovered could ease financial matters while the woman works to heal and move on with her life.
Source: NBC Miami, “Man Killed by Car at Bus Stop as Wife Watches,” Brian Hamacher, Sep 7, 2011