A pedestrian was hospitalized at a local trauma center Friday afternoon after she was struck by an elderly driver who lost control of his car, the police said.
The 20-year-old woman was walking on the sidewalk of Arizona Avenue when she was hit around 1:45 p.m. near Second Street, according to Santa Monica Police Department.
The 89-year-old driver had been traveling north on Second Street, and when he reached Arizona Street he continued against a red light, spokesman Sgt. Richard Lewis
Another vehicle hit the SUV, sending it up onto the sidewalk.
"Two pedestrians were able to get out of the way," Lewis said. "A third pedestrian, a 20-year-old female, was struck."
The woman landed on top of the SUV's hood. The car continued for about half a block and struck two palm trees, knocking them down. She was ejected about 50 feet when the driver smashed into a parking meter, Lewis said.
The woman was expected to survive.
The driver was cooperating with investigators, according to Lewis.
"It's not a hit-and-run," he said. "It's just one of those bad accidents."
— City News Service contributed to this report.
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Second and Arizona is so close to the Farmers' Market travesty of years ago, this is a continuing nightmare. SM will be liable for the huge lawsuits that are going to be brought--again--when people are killed on the unsafe streets. Encouraging people to walk where the death rate for pedestrians last year was five times as high as for LA County in general is maintaining an attractive nuisance. It long ago became criminal.
I don't drive anymore without constantly watching every car and pedestrian more than ever before- the entire world is either texting or on the phone-- people literally walk right in front of my car on Rose Ave looking at their cell phones and texting- I drive maybe 5 miles an hour if I drive that when on that street alone- people aren't paying attention and many times it's not the driver's fault- one night on my way to TJ's a man stepped directly in front of my car- within feet of it- I was going maybe 25- I swerved instantly - and went up on the curb- he didn't even turn around- he was wearing dark clothes- I was a shaking mess from it- I called out to him to be careful- brakes are only so good- he told me to F- myself-
This is a clear example of ageism. Just because the driver in the Farmer's Market accident was elderly, and lots of attention has been given to his infirmities from aging as apparent causes, does not mean that every accident with a senior driver happens for the same reasons. Until you have some statement from someone "official," such as an investigating police officer, to whom you can attribute your description of the driver as elderly AND WHY THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE STORY, it should not be included in the story. Further, if the person behind the wheel were Jewish, would you describe the driver as "Jewish"? If African American, as "African American"? If Latino, as "Latino"? Probably not, because it is not relevant to ALL people of that background. Also you would be wary of angry, and justified complaints at the practice of scapegoating. I recommend the writer review some basic rules and skills of objective reporting and check out what scapegoating is and how it manifests.
I am not elderly--what's that, by the way? When I was 27 and trying to decide whether to go to law school I thought I'd be old when I started practicing law at 31! However, I have come so close so many times to hitting pedestrians and bicyclists on SM streets because the streets are too narrow and filled with traffic to have all that's going on on them happening. It's really hard top drive on such streets. Then the next thing we know, the City--without doing anything to reduce traffic, and in fact at the same time they are approving more developments with 10 times the prior level of traffic from a given property--reduces lanes to put in bike paths and planters in the medians, thereby making it even harder to see pedestrians. The only way that strategy can work is to reduce traffic speed to 5 mph, so no one will get anywhere but everyone will be safe.