Resident dies crossing Richmond Beach Road
Friday, November 15, 2013
Updated 11-17-2013 7:38pm
Update: The Seattle Times reports that the King County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the pedestrian as Mavva Gazarbekova, 76.
A woman in her 70's was struck by a car and died while attempting to cross Richmond Beach Road at the shopping center Thursday evening, November 14, 2013. It was dark and she was wearing dark clothing. The driver was not held.
According to the Shoreline Police, they responded to an accident just before 7:30pm in the 600 blk of NW Richmond Beach Road (near QFC) A woman was struck by a vehicle as she tried to cross Richmond Beach Road southbound. It is believed she was coming from QFC. The woman was wearing dark clothing and was not in a crosswalk. There was no alcohol, drugs or speed suspected in this accident.
Shoreline Firefighters and paramedics who responded to the pedestrian fatality in Richmond Beach yesterday afternoon are asking residents to talk with family members about the dangers of walking along and crossing streets in the dark.
The woman who died was wearing very dark clothing, and walking in the lane of traffic, according to police reports. She was invisible to drivers under those conditions.
This type of tragedy happens all too often, especially during the late afternoon. Pedestrians do not seem to realize that they cannot be seen -- even with street-lighting -- when they are wearing dark clothes and crossing the street outside of crosswalks and intersections.
Shoreline Fire advises, "Take a few moments to review basic pedestrian safety with your family. Teens and the elderly are especially at-risk, since they are more likely to be walking during the dark and rainy early afternoons when visibility is so poor."
- See and be seen. Drivers need to see you to avoid you.
- Stay out of the driver's blind spot.
- Make eye contact with drivers when crossing busy streets.
- Wear bright colors or reflective clothing if you are walking near traffic at night.
- Carry a flashlight when walking in the dark.
- Do not let kids play near traffic or cross the street by themselves.
- In bad weather, take care that your umbrella or raincoat does not prevent approaching vehicles from seeing you.
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11 comments:
I would be all for having a crosswalk mid-block between 3rd and 8th. So many people live in the apartments across from QFC. Of course they shop and cross back to their residences. The not-so-nimble are especially likely to cross mid-block.
A traffic light with a crosswalk at the east end of the QFC parking lot would save lives and accidents--both auto and pedestrian. Cars leaving the parking lot there are hit frequently. As it is now, this is not a safe or friendly area for drivers or pedestrians.
The city doesn't take kindly to having citizens dictate where pedestrian crosswalk signals should be located -- case in point is David Townsend who crusaded for a signal at 172nd & 15th Ave NE after his daughter was killed in daylight hours coming home from school. After filing suit against the City of Shoreline for not installing the equipment he purchased, they countersued him. Now that both David and his daughter have passed away, the City finally got around to installing a traffic light. I had the misfortune of seeing a pedestrian get hit in the middle of a summer day crossing 15th Ave NE, which is only going to get busier with light rail (something that will also happen to Richmond Beach Rd. & the Point Wells traffic). Good luck trying to get City Hall to pay attention to you on a timely basis.
I guess people already forgot one of the boneheaded solutions that came out of City Hall - do you remember those "eye" that used to light up whenever someone wanted to cross Aurora and drivers had no idea what they meant? I wonder how much money the City wasted on that.
Please don't be one of those people that wander around in pavement colored clothing to be fashionable, especially in the many areas that aren't very pedestian friendly. It's pretty easy to buy the same high visibility vests or jackets that construction workers are required wear. They are my normal attire for walking the dogs in our neighborhood without sidewalks or riding my bike. Vests are pretty easy to find at hardware stores with the safety glasses and ear plugs. Places like Sears and Fred Meyer have a limited selection of jackets, zip hoodies, etc. in the men's apparel section. There is a work-wear specialty store in the parking lot just South of the Safeway at 155th and Aurora with even more options to choose from including some very good jackets.
When I was a boy delivering papers, my parents taught me to walk facing incoming traffic. Today,it appears that no one knows this anymore. I've also seen an uptick in helmetless bicyclists. Public education from purpolice department would be helpful. Visit the schools. Make handouts.
Wow, everyone has also forgot the poor kid who was hit in broad daylight at 175th and I-5 while crossing with light by a guy who was late for his district court date. He has permanent brain damage from a reckless driver and only survived by spending months in the hospital in years in rehab -- and he picketed as a responsible youth for a light on 15th Ave. in memory of Tia Townsend. He was on his way to catch the bus so he could mow a lawn.
Let's all go blame the victim instead of expressing condolences to her family, why don't we?
Anonymous 10:42 - The "eye" was an experiment of WSDOT, not the City of Shoreline.
@tracy, the City of Shoreline transportation department has taught the public that crosswalks do not make the public safer from automobiles. They exist to direct the pedestrian traffic. Ask them.
This area of Shoreline where Mavva was killed have no street lights along the block with trees overhanging the streets, only at the intersections drivers speed and they tailgate you or pass you as you drive speed limit. Even the fuel tanker trucks go over limit many times. Going west down the hill from 8th AVE NW there is a radar digital sign showing what drivers are doing many times before it says SLOW DOWN people have been seen it saying 48 miles and up. There is no use having these installed if there is no enforcement happening for the speeders, day and night and school times. Many students parents drive and pick up their students because they don't want them to be injured or killed on these surrounding streets of Shoreline. People need to unite to make a safer Shoreline, especially when out of area drivers go through to get to Edmonds / Woodway instead of using Aurora AVE. Maybe some changes in direction flow of traffic on 205th with right turns only would help with the traffic issues? Just a suggestion......
I knew Mavva from living both in her building and across the street. She was a warm, friendly woman from Russia. Mavva was a stalwart woman, walking everywhere and carrying bags. She lived in the Richmond Highlands area probably for 20 years. I will miss her.
Reply to the newsboy: It's best to walk on the side of the road WITH traffic. That way approaching traffic can see you well. When you're walking against traffic, it's distracting to the oncoming traffic. The same goes for bikers. Bike with the traffic, not against it.
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