Last week, a man in Altus, Oklahoma was struck by a car while crossing the road. The incident occurred around 12:45 on Sunday afternoon. The pedestrian was crossing the road at the intersection of Sutherland and Main Street when he was run over by a motorist. Emergency responders were quickly on the scene to transport the victim to Jackson County Memorial Hospital for treatment. The motorist struck the pedestrian after turning onto Main Street from Sutherland. There was no word on his condition after the incident, but KSWO News Channel Seven did report that he was still in the hospital Sunday night recovering from his injuries.
Authorities have just released information regarding the identities of the driver and the victim. Jonathan Guynn, 46 years old, was struck by 84-year-old Talmage Oden. Oden was driving a Honda sport utility vehicle at the time of the collision. Witness reports indicate that Guynn was obeying the crosswalk symbols when he was struck by the car. There is still no word on Guynn’s current condition or the extent of his injuries.
Pedestrian safety is a large concern all over the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every eight minutes in 2010. They report that 4,280 pedestrians were killed and about 70,000 were injured in 2010. This was actually a four-percent increase from 2009 when 4,109 pedestrians were killed. Astoundingly, pedestrian deaths made up 13 percent of all traffic-related fatalities in 2010.
This type of incident is also likely to raise questions about roadway safety and elderly drivers. Earlier this year, we reported on a fatal wrong-way crash involving an elderly man. This chain-reaction crash happened when an 80-year-old motorist was driving the wrong way down an interstate highway. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that fatal crashes increase at age 75 and go up noticeably after age 80. Increased susceptibility to injuries, declining physical and cognitive health and potential medical complications can all account for the increase in fatal crashes for this age group.
Accidents involving pedestrians are particularly dangerous. Injured pedestrians may be facing extensive medical bills and long-term rehabilitation for serious injuries. It’s important to contact an experienced personal injury attorney following any type of car accident. The team at the Altman Legal Group wishes Jonathan Guynn a quick and full recovery.