Nashville ranks as the 37th most dangerous city for pedestrian deaths in the country. Sometimes pedestrian deaths lead to vehicular homicide charges. According to a report by the Tennessean, 209 pedestrians were struck and killed in Nashville in a ten year period ending in 2014. I thought the number was much higher. My office is downtown near the A.A.Birch Building. I drive downtown every work day. I constantly see pedestrians fail to use the crosswalk, wearing earbuds, darting across the roads in traffic. There are near misses every day.
"The number of pedestrian deaths in Nashville is unacceptable," said Nora Kern, executive director of Walk Bike Nashville. "To achieve the Vision Zero goal of no roadway fatalities, we must change our infrastructure to prioritize the most vulnerable road users - people walking. Nashville must make it easy, convenient and safe for people to get around by foot, whether you choose to walk or you have no other choice. You shouldn't have to worry if you will get to your destination alive."
I don't agree 100% with these comments. Nashville has not been a walking city. With the explosion of the Gulch and downtown living, more people are walking. Pedestrians need to be aware of some basic safety rules. Use crosswalks. Pay attention. No use of cellphones. No listening to music. Don't wear dark colors at night.
Folks can avoid an accident by following some basic safety rules. As downtown Nashville grows into an urban area everyone needs to be alert to pedestrian safety.
For drivers, be aware of the traffic. people are charged for vehicular homicide or vehicular assault when they strike a pedestrian. One defense is what was the proximate cause of the accident. it is a defense that the pedestrian broke some safety rules which created the accident.