Pleasanton: Pedestrian dies after being struck by multiple vehicles on I-680
A pedestrian was killed on Interstate 680 Monday morning after being struck by three vehicles traveling at freeway speeds, the California Highway Patrol said.
Officers responded about 3:30 a.m. to southbound I-680 at North Stoneridge Drive after getting reports that a man had been hit multiple times on the freeway, Officer Steve Creel said. Police arrived to find the man dead in the center lanes of the interstate after being struck by two Toyota Corollas and a Ford pickup truck.
According to Creel, there was no vehicle on the side of the road to connect to the victim, who has yet to be identified. Officers are continuing their investigation as to why the man was on the highway in the first place.
The CHP shut down all southbound lanes of traffic about 3:45 a.m. until the coroner could arrive to retrieve the man’s body, Creel said. The interstate was closed for one hour and 45 minutes from the Interstate 580 connector to the Stoneridge Drive exit.
All southbound lanes of Interstate 680 in Pleasanton reopened about 6:30 a.m., though traffic remained snarled through the majority of the morning commute, Creel said.
Cause of the Alameda County Crash
While this devastating Alameda County accident remains under investigation, the family members of those accident victims who were seriously injured would be well-advised to speak with an understanding and knowledgeable Alameda County wrongful death lawyer. An attorney such as Gary A. Kessler who has successfully handled serious injury accidents can advise the victim’s family of their legal rights to hold the driver accountable and best course of action should they wish to pursue a personal injury claim.
California Pedestrian Law
“Under California Vehicle Code Section 21950 (a) The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
(b) This section does not relieve a pedestrian from the duty of using due care for his or her safety. No pedestrian may suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. No pedestrian may unnecessarily stop or delay traffic while in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
(c) The driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of the vehicle or take any other action relating to the operation of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.
(d) Subdivision (b) does not relieve a driver of a vehicle from the duty of exercising due care for the safety of any pedestrian within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.”
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
Source: California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Report
Pedestrians need to be especially cautious on our roadways because they are more vulnerable to injury or death. There were two pedestrians killed and two injured in car accidents in Twenty-nine Palms in 2009, according to the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Report. In San Bernardino County 39 pedestrians died and 440 were injured in 2009.
In California, there were 598 pedestrians killed and 12,418 injured in 2009, according to the CHP traffic report.
National data compiled by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Authority shows that pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the United States were up 4.9% in 2010 to 4,280 deaths and injuries were up 19% in 2010 to 70,000 people injured.
