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Pedestrian Killed But Many Questions Unanswered

By Eddie Farah

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that a young man walking on a Jacksonville road was hit and killed by a motorist early Friday morning.

The man has been identified as Cammeron T. Nettles, 21. He was walking southbound on Blanding Boulevard near County Road 220 around 1:45 a.m. Nettles was reportedly wearing dark clothing and walking in the inside lane.

That's when 41-year-old Corry L. Hull of Keystone Heights, Florida, behind the wheel of a Dodge minivan, hit him. Nettles was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hull says he didn’t see Nettles. It also wasn't clear what Nettles was doing in the road or exactly where he was when he was hit.

Obviously it is the motorist's responsibility to do everything possible to avoid colliding with any pedestrians and that also includes anyone traveling on a bicycle, skateboard, or someone in a pedestrian crosswalk.

According to Florida law, motorists must yield to pedestrians at intersections with traffic signals; when crossing the street or driveway; at any marked mid-block crossing, driveway or intersection without traffic signals.

And for their part, the pedestrian is supposed to watch out for vehicles and stay out of the way of cars by crossing only at intersections or crosswalks, and cross with the green light or WALK signal. When walking along a highway, pedestrians are supposed to walk on the shoulder, facing traffic, and wear light clothing to be more visible.

The federal government estimates about 5,000 pedestrians are killed every year after being struck by a moving vehicle.

An experienced accident attorney would want to know whether the pedestrian was forced to walk in an unsafe and unlit area because of road construction or no sidewalks; what speed the motorist was traveling; and whether there was negligence present. This accident is a mystery that deserves some answers. #

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Eddie Farah

Full post as published by Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer on January 24, 2009 (boomark / email).