Personal Injury Law

Light sentence received in crosswalk death accident sends questionable message

By Kirk Bernard, Esq.

According to Komotv.com, many Seattleites were outraged when a municipal court judge ordered fines, no driving, and community service for a driver found guilty of hitting and killing a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Ephraim Schwartz will have his conviction erased from his record in two years, if he avoids driving and completes the community service. He is also avoiding any jail time for the Seattle pedestrian accidents.

"Where is the incentive for people to drive safely and responsibly?" asked Rebecca Deehr, executive director of Feet First, a pedestrian advocacy group.

"Besides the fines and ticketing that may result from not driving safely and responsibly, there is no incentive," she said.

Deehr also said that the consequences for drivers in situations like this should match "the gravity of their action." Without consequences, she said, "we can't expect that drivers will take the extra step to put down the latte, stop looking at their cell phone, or to take the other necessary precautions to avoid hitting a pedestrian."

Full post as published by Seattle Injury Blog on March 10, 2008 (boomark / email).