KUTV brings us a story from Tuesday night, where in Midvale, Utah a woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Around 9:30 pm, a 22-year-old woman and a friend were walking across State Street near 8000 south. Police report that there was no crosswalk where they were passing, the street was poorly lit, and the two were trying to walk across several traffic lanes.
The driver who hit the woman was 20 years old and stopped at the scene. She was taken to Intermountain Medical Center in critical condition. Her friend fled from the scene. But police were able to track her down. She admitted to leaving the scene because the two of them had been drinking, and she was afraid she might be held responsible.
It is illegal, and dangerous to drive a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, but what people might not necessarily know is that walking under the influence is incredibly dangerous as well. According to an article from Alcoholism Rehab, “alcohol impairs not only your ability to drive, but also your ability to walk. Drinking impairs coordination, reflexes and the individual’s judgment.”
Over the course of a 25-year-study, 58% of pedestrians killed on New Year’s Day had high blood alcohol concentrations. In an article by SunSentinel.com, 13% of all pedestrian deaths in 2010 involved the pedestrian drinking.
If you’ve had a drink, it is the responsible thing not to drive, but consider being safe all around. When you drink and drive, you have a high probability of causing harm to another person, but when you walk under the influence, there is a very high chance you could hurt yourself.
Keep yourself and everyone around you safe when drinking, and stay out of the roads.
If you have any questions or concerns related to an accident that occurred in part because of alcohol, please call Christensen & Hymas: 801-506-0800. We’d be more than happy to give you a free consultation, and help you figure out your next steps.
Image courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society