Child Killed Outside Disneyland
 

A 7 year old child was killed while walking in the crosswalk between Disneyland and his hotel tonight, several other family members are injured.

Be careful! California is full of drivers going too fast who never use their turn signals and are often talking on their cell phones. There are some dangerous crosswalks near Disneyland where drivers are blinded nearing sundown each day. Be alert! Just because the sign changes to "walk" doesn't mean you are safe.

What a horrible tragedy and a timely reminder to be careful wherever you are.

I have to say that speaking as a Pittsburgher, I've found in my travels to SF, LA, SD and Orange County in general, the drivers in CA are MUCH MUCH more respectful of pedestrians than in Pittsburgh or any big city I've visited recently.

That's a sad, sad story - but could have happened anywhere.

Indeed, this tragedy could have happened anywhere, the circumestances are unfortunately universal. Blinding sunlight angles happen everywhere on every sunny day -- my car was hit in such an incident in Boston in January.

It is a tragic story, but no need to slam Californians, who I have found to be skilled drivers (since there are so many cars and they spend so much time on the road I assumed).

It is sensational because a child lost their life, plus the location of Disneyland makes it a hot button, but pedestrian/car accidents happen all to often all over the country.

And in Florida just yesterday or the day before a woman was walking down the street in a small community with her toddler. The woman stopped for a moment to speak to a friend and the toddler continued behind the car of an old man backing out of his driveway who killed her. It only takes a second.

a 17-year old driver talking on his cell phone, driving a cadillac hits 6 pedestrians in a crosswalk?

Sadly yes, it could happen anywhere these days, I don't know when exactly it became a necessity for every 16 and 17 year old to have a car and a cell phone, but it certainly seems to be the case these days in California....raising the driving age to 18 would probably solve some of their traffic problem.

The article in the LA Times today does not mention a cell phone, so let's not make assumptions. The reason for the accident has not yet been determined, or at least not made public. It happened at 5:50pm when the possibility of being completely blinded by the sun is high.

The victims are reportedly from the Bay Area.

..and a 31 year old driver drove off the Morrison bridge in Portland this week while talking on her cell phone.

Inattention can cause accidents, no matter what the age of the driver or type of distraction.

Joe, actually I agree with you about raising the driving age to 18 (and didn't permit my daughter to drive until 18) but please know that this is NOT a California phenomenon.

I don't believe we need more laws to restrict people's use of phones in cars, for heaven's sake, we have enough laws. I just wish we had more common sense.

Here in Orlando, I think we have the highest number of pedestrian deaths...I had to drive down International Drive a few weeks ago which is where many tourists stay...and although I know many of these accidents are strictly the driver's fault, I was surprised to see how many people just step out in front of traffic. You literally have to swerve to miss them. They do not look at the walk signs, jaywalk, and they assume that you see them and that you can and will just stop. I think alot of people think simply crossing a street is a no brainer, but you have to be aware. We also don't yield to them here like on other cities. When I was in Vancouver for example which is very pedestrian oriented, they do stop for you and it is a whole different atmosphere. The bad driving, careless walking, and "must get there quick" attitude is a deadly combination.

This is a true tragedy.

However, this type of accident can - and does - happen in many other states other than California, so I think the "dig" on us drivers in California is more than a bit unfair.

As of this morning, there has been no determination of what caused the accident. Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be involved. And there has been absolutely no mention of the young driver using a cell phone. Exactly where do people get their notions from!?!? We are not even certain if the people crossing the street were crossing with or against the light, either. Until the final investigation comes in, we simply do not know what/how this accident was caused.

And let's face it. The young man was driving a Cadillac sedan. Not exactly the car of choice for most 17 year old males, huh? Probably his parent's car, I would say? And what would one more year add to his experience? I've had my license since I was 16 and guess when I was involved in my first accident? Yup. At 18. (Not my fault, either)

And as to the cell phone phenomenan? I find older drivers (30 and above) to be FAR more likely to drive eratically and dangerously while yakking on a cell phone than any teenager. Oh, and this happens in ALL states - not just California.

This accident just goes to show that all individual (drivers and pedestrians) must be cautious and alert at all times, everywhere.

A word of warning to all drivers who visit California!

Be careful! California is full of pedestrians who, because pedestrians have the right of way in CA think they can walk straight into a crosswalk without looking for oncoming traffic, who never wait for signals to change and are often talking on their cell phones. There are some dangerous crosswalks near Disneyland where drivers are blinded nearing sundown each day. Be alert! Just because the light changes to "green" doesn't mean you are safe.

Californians do not use their turn signal until after they've practically completed their merge into the next lane. I've never seen this elsewhere but maybe it's become rampant nationwide.

My 70something aunt was struck by a car driven by a 17 year old a week ago last Thursday while leaving a wake in a very small town in southern Illinois (hence my post looking for motel info near St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis Co.) While I haven't been able to find out exactly what happened, what I've been told so far suggests that it was a combination of her stepping out and his being distracted. This is just another example of the fact that these things happen everywhere, all the time. We all need to make a conscious effort to be more careful, less distracted. Whether we're walking or driving.

tracys2cents ~ do you just have a thing against drivers in California or what?? I have driven in California ever since I was 16 (I'm now in my mid-40s), and I do use my turn signals. I know of other California drivers who do the same. And then I know of some who don't or use them rarely. And you know what? It's the same in other states as well. (Yeah, I've driven in other states as well)

You really have to be careful when you make generalizations about people. You will always be proven false.

Besides, has it occured to you that, since most people in California came from somewhere else, the majority of drivers here learned to drive somewhere else?

I agree with Chele - gross generalizations are unfair. There are bad drivers in every state, not just California (and I'm not from California). Bottom line - everyone needs to be careful, whether they are walking, driving, flying, riding a horse, or anything. Just use your head and watch out for the other guy, because he/she may not be watching out for you.

And that goes for everybody!

One of the things I don;t get - being a New Yorker is this right on red. Why not just ban it everywhere? (It's bad enough here with some of the cab drivers who don't understand they need to stop for pedestrians when turning.)

Where right on red is allowed many drivers seem to think they can simply turn whenever they want - regardless of pedestrians - or traffic on the cross-street - and don;t understand the concept of stop and look - or who has right of way.

tracy2cents- I don't understand you using this opportunity to crusade against California drivers. Not to mention I happen to disagree and think generally speaking they ARE a skilled bunch, because they are a state of drivers.

nytravelers- when you have always had right-on-red as a law it really isn't a big deal and does not lead to people who <turn whenever then want>.

If any of you who are bad mouthing california drivers travel down to LA, you would be surprised that there arn't THAT many accidents for the amount of cars that drive the streets and freeways every day. The CA drivers are used to traffic and it has been said that LA drivers are some of the safest drivers because of this.

While we're generalizing here:

I'm more worried about soccer moms in their HUGE sports utes (do 2 kids really require a Ford Excursion?) while talking on their cellphones AND trying to navigate the city's interstate! Terrible!!

While reading Patrick's entry I want to remind every parent/caregiver with a toddler that cars backing up cannot even see these little people! Please take care with your little ones - a child was killed the same way outside a school in my city last year. How tragic - and it can happen so quickly.

I'm really confused about this turning right on red thing. Is that actually allowed in some states?

Here if Florida a lot of people seem to think it it perfectly legal to turn right on red. But they are 100% wrong. The law allows you to turn right on red AFTER coming to a complete stop. People seem to forget about that last part. You wouldn't believe how many people blow their horns as I start to come to a stop at a red light with my right turn signal on. Is that the case in other states as well, or some places is it actually legal to turn right on red WITHOUT stopping first.

Red always means stop! Always, even when flashing. In all 50 states.

Patrick, you're just encountering bad drivers!

I have to agree that the crosswalk procedures in CA are much different than in the midwest - IL, WI, etc. When pedestrians step into a crosswalk in CA the drivers are expected to stop, for anybody in a crosswalk, so some people just step into the crosswalk expecting drivers to automatically stop. They don't do that in Chicago. The pedestrian may take their life in their hands if the don't watch for traffic & step into a cross walk. Also, since most midwesterners are not aware of the crosswalk procedures in CA, when driving rental cars (so can't always determine where dirver is from by out of state license plate)in CA pedestrians should not always assume that the driver knows the CA procedures, & need to watch for traffic.

jamierin, I have two kids in preschool and I think about that every time I back out of my parking space at the school. It could happen so easily.

"Patrick, you're just encountering bad drivers!"

Really? And I live in Florida. Kind of hard to believe both those statements relate, right? LOL

By the way. I'm serious. There seem to be a ton of people who really do think you don't have to stop for the red when turning right. I've even been told so by many of them. And the reason I brought it up was nytraveler's post where he mentions cab drivers who don't seem to understand they have to stop for pedestrians when turning right on red. Huh? Even if there aren't pedestrians he is supposed to stop, so that seemed like an odd comment to be making.

In Camden, Maine, they have "stop, wave, walk" painted at each end of every crosswalk. It was a good reminder to pedestrians to stop and make sure that drivers are stopping before you walk.

I always thought red means stop, no matter where you are. I agree with Bill, you can never assume people see you or know the law to give you right of way. Thats why I always look both ways even thou It's a one way street!

Might as well put in my two cents....

I disagree with tracy's assertion that CA drivers are any worse than other drivers in the US. In fact, I would vote on the side of CA drivers being better. Especially after driving around in MA, NY, PA and FL.

Having said that, the issue of distracted drivers is indeed getting worse, all over the country. Cell phones are just the icing on that ugly cake (disclosure: I do use a cell phone while driving, but with a hands-free headset ONLY and using voice dial ONLY). In CA, we have a lot of out-of-state drivers than also compound our traffic woes. And everyone drives with their phone in their hand, clamped to their LEFT ear, preventing them from using their turn signal (a HUGE beef I have with other drivers)....

There are multiple forces operating here: Insufficient driver education on the rules of the road, drivers themselves full of road hubris ("I am the KING/QUEEN OF THE ROAD!!"), and all those toys to keep your mind anywhere but on the task of driving. Until the police get ticketing dangerous moving violations, these forces will just spiral out of control.

My pet peeve: The California rolling stop. I read the DMV book; it's FULL STOP at a stop sign, count to three, then move as safely possible. But a lot of people think of a stop sign as a simple suggestion and just kind of pause. A few treat a stop sign as a "well, try to slow down next time, would you?" and barrel through, not even slowing down. I've almost been hit a few times by such yutzes. Now THIS is indeed a problem I see more in CA than in other states-- and needs to be addressed.

Patrick -

Sorry - I was complaining about the cab drivers who don;t stop on GREEN when there are pedestrians in the crosswalk (required in NYC - car can;t enter the crosswalk until pedestrian reaches the curb). There is no right on red anywhere in NYC.

Suze -

Disagree about the right on red comment. Most places outside of the city this has always been allowed and most drivers don;t abide by the stop and look rule - simply charge ahead. I'm with Patrick here - many honk if you pause to see what's coming (if they do I make a point of waiting until the light turns green).

C"mon people - I'm perfectly capable of driving my Suburban, discplining my 3 kids, stuffing a Big Mac down my throat while talking on my cellphone - ain't you never heard of multi-tasking? ;-)

Not using a turn signal is common everywhere -- and dangerous everywhere.

Where I live you can right-on-red (after a full stop) -- except where the signs say you can't. The places where you can't are at the busiest intersections and one-way streets.

The hands free device for cell phones should still be used sparingly, if at all. The lady who plunged off the bridge here in Portland this weekend was using a hands free device. However, it was during a nasty rainstorm and the roads were slippery, but if her full attention was given to driving then the incident may not have happened. BTW, her SUV sank immediately but she swam out of it and was rescued and is fine. Amazing! That is one lucky woman.

Since we are all talking about safety I would like to comment that please, make that a second please, be careful when walking in SF. So many pedestrians have been killed or severally injured.

And strangly most of them are residents rather then tourist.

Don't assume that the green light means it is safe to cross the street, make sure it is. Watch out for trucks and busses turning corners. Don't jaywalk. Don't be so busy talking on your cellphone, looking at the beautiful sights, reading the map etc while walking you are not watching what the traffic conditions are. Some drivers do turn right on their red light without stopping or looking to see if anyone is walking in the intersection.

I have seen so many near misses. It always makes me cringe.

And SF like any tourist area has a lot of people driving that are lost, confused etc. so they are not always taking proper care while driving.

Evidently SF death/injury rates for pedestrians has gotten a bit better but a couple of years ago it was rated as one of the most dangerious cities to walk in.

Keep yourself safe while enjoying beautiful SF.

Don't get me started on what happens on all the Los Angeles freeways when it rains! Might as well be at Six Flags on the BUMPER CARS !

I was a reporter for many years, and I covered so many fatal pedestrian vs. car crashes. The biggest common thread was: drivers looking to turn right who look to the left for a break in traffic. The break comes, and they turn, without checking to the right. Where there is a pedestrian, about to get crushed. Another thought: Has anyone else noticed how many people seem to walk right in back of cars backing up in parking lots? It seems worse and worse as the years go by.

Yes, tracy, car accidents only happen in California. Keep living in that delusion, and let us know how that works out for you.

Yes, a right turn at a solid red light AFTER coming to a stop is legal (Washington state).

We here in Las Vegas are reeling from the deaths of four just a couple of weeks ago. A woman - taking Xanex - lost control of her SUV and ran into a bus stop down the street from a high school at 7:15 one morning, killing 3 teenagers who were sitting on the bus bench and a young woman who was walking on the sidewalk. The ultimate insult to injury for the families of the victims - that woman has been out partying at karaoke bars since the accident, has never - NOT ONCE - apologized for her actions and yesterday the police and DA announced they don't have enough to charge her with anything more than misdemeanor & traffic violations. Never mind the number of pedestrians killed in Las Vegas yearly - most of whom are jay-walking, by the way - now we're not safe sitting at a bus stop.

BashfulLV, I remember reading about that horrible accident. Then I said to myself "what", on Zanex and she gets a misdemeanor and traffic violation? I thought (at least in CA) that if your prescribed RX causes you to drive in an unsafe manner it is as bad as a drunk driving violation, at least.

Does anyone know for sure if this is true in CA?

BTW, in Vallejo CA about a month ago an elderly man (father/grandfather and also assistance pastor at his church) was driving down one of the main streets early one morning, windshield fogged up, he was fiddling with the dashboard controls and hit two sisters walking to school. The were in the interesection, within the white lines. The little sister died and the middleschool sister is seriously injured and will be recuperating for months. Head injuries were part of the injuries I believe. He too was charged with a misdemeanor. However the difference is that he is horrorstricken and remorseful about this tragedy but that is not much comfort to the girls family.

CAPH, I had a cousin once removed (or is that a second cousin?) anyway a cousin of my mother's who stepped out onto the street in a small town in NCa, not paying attention. The driver coming toward her was speeding. Same kind of accident as your aunt had. I hope your aunt will recover from this accident. Our family member didn't, broken hip and consequently died about a year later.

So many tragedies. But I saw it often when I had my insurance agency. Almost all accidents can be avoided if everyone would pay attention and not drive when overly tired, when drinking, on drugs, taking meds that warn about operating a vehicle, when emotional upset, when as a pedestrian crossing streets etc.

Safe travels to everyone here.