Distracted Driver Hits Pedestrian in University Park

The SMU Daily Campus Mustang reports an accident yesterday at 6:15 p.m. involving a pedestrian. I checked in with UPPD Chief Gary Adams for more informtion.

The young woman was struck as she was crossing mid-block on Airline near Fondren. Her injuries did not appear to be life threatening.

The driver of the car is a student at SMU and was distracted at the time and not fully attentive to her driving when she struck the young woman in the street.

The accident is still under investigation by a UPPD accident investigator.

I will provide further information this morning as it becomes available.

UPDATE

By Merritt Patterson Nov. 2, 2010 | 7:18 am | 14 Comments | Comments RSS
14 comments to "Distracted Driver Hits Pedestrian in University Park"
  1. ManagingEditor @ November 2, 2010 at 8:01 am
    Hi-
    You linked to us but cited the Daily Campus, We are the Daily Mustang.

    Thanks,

  2. Merritt Patterson @ November 2, 2010 at 8:18 am
    @ManagingEditor- Thank you. Corrected. Apologies.

  3. James Tucker @ November 2, 2010 at 9:44 am
    Just think how much more distracted that driver is going to be when he has to mull over whether he is going to go to 7-11 or Tom Thumb to pick up his beer or wine.

  4. James Tucker @ November 2, 2010 at 10:00 am
    Sorry I couldn’t stop myself:) I hope the young lady will be all right.

  5. N.F. @ November 2, 2010 at 10:13 am
    Our fair villages of Highland Park and University Park are the worst in the world for distracted drivers talking on cell phones, and doing the dumbest thing in the world while driving and texting. That should be a capital offense!

    We need to expand the current laws to prohibit mothers driving Chevy Tahoes with kids in the car from even having a cell phone in their hands. They are a nuisance to the community and a danger to the children they are transporting.

    Kudos to Mayor Holmes for having the courage to outlaw cell phone use in school zones. But, we need to make it city wide for people transporting children.

  6. SMU Student @ November 2, 2010 at 10:18 am
    @James, considering that you were too distracted to notice that the driver is a she and not a he I don’t think you have much room to talk. I also hope that the young lady who was hit will be fine.

  7. Never thought I'd say this @ November 2, 2010 at 10:37 am
    …but, I agree with N.F.

    IMHO, distracted driving is a much bigger problem than being able to buy beer & wine in UP.

  8. James Tucker @ November 2, 2010 at 10:42 am
    @SMU Student;

    1. I was discussing the generic driver.

    2. I was teasing.

  9. N.F. @ November 2, 2010 at 11:25 am
    Never thought I’d say this, I’ll drink to that!

  10. SMU Neighbor @ November 2, 2010 at 11:31 am
    We could see her lying in the street from our home. I’m glad to hear that she will make it. It’s a very dangerous area as pedestrians are crossing all along the road and drivers are thinking about where they need to be rather than on driving.

  11. AMD @ November 2, 2010 at 12:37 pm
    I’m choking back tears and gasping for air as I admit this, but N.F. finally has an agreeable point. I have to agree that texting in autos had gotten out of hand, but it is not just mommies with kiddies in the car that need to stop. Teeny boppers are horrible offenders as well, but this is an issue that is not specific to one segment of the population. I had three near misses from offending parties just this morning, and it was people of all ages messing with a cell phone.

  12. Eloise @ November 2, 2010 at 3:48 pm
    After recently moving BACK from California, I can’t tell you how unbelievably nice it is to NOT have drivers allowed to talk on their cell phones while driving at all (not just in school zones).

    Since I’ve been back, I’ve had to re-calibrate my defensive driving habits, particularly when Tahoes with mom’s are in them. I don’t think I have yet to see a large SUV with a woman driver who wasn’t on her cell phone. Scary.

    And is someone posting under N.F.’s name?!?!?! Or has sanity has returned?

  13. Christopher @ November 2, 2010 at 5:22 pm
    I live at Fondren and Airline. I have three kids the youngest of which is seven years old. My thirteen year old watched the accident as it happened. I was at work. Everyday I walk to my work at SMU. Everyday I see drivers (of all ages, creeds, and genders, and car types) talking or texting, drinking beverages with one hand while steering with the other, and looking for parking up the side streets as they speed in both directions on Airline. Is it really worth it? “Don’t be late, kill a kid” It is imperative that we all act as a community in educating EVERYONE about the dangers of pedestrians and vehicles. I suggest driving as if they are YOUR kids walking, walk as if you MIGHT get struck by a 3,000 lbs vehicle.

    PS There are 21 kids on only the 1st block of Fondren. The university has done a beautiful job of building Annette Caldwell Simmons Hall and the adjacent parking lot. Can we possibly get 1 crosswalk to go with it?

  14. G2 @ November 3, 2010 at 12:36 pm
    With all the expensive cars driving around this neighborhood, don’t they all have bluetooth? As a Yukon xl driving mom, I never talk with my phone in my hand (I answer with a button on my steering wheel, the audio comes through by radio speakers) and try not to talk at all when in the car. I drive through this intersection and the one by the tri-delt house often. Many students are texting as the cross the street and never even look up as they enter the intersection. You HAVE to drive very defensively in this area. And, yesterday, saw two boys about 5th grade ride their bikes across the intersection at UP elementary and the UP pool. I honestly thought the first boy had been hit by a car that slammed on its breaks and barely missed him. The boys did not want to stop and push the flashing light button at the cross walk and just “went” for it! It was 5:20 rush hour!

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