11:39 AM: SPD and SFD are responding to a reported collision at 42nd/Alaska. The report is that a driver hit a pedestrian. We’re on our way to find out more.
12:17 PM: This was on the northeast (QFC) corner. The person did not have major injuries, SFD tells us, and was going to be transported by private ambulance. Their response has now cleared.
I hope the pedestrian is okay – that’s a dangerous crossing on a good day with the walk sign, let alone a day like today. I’ve almost been hit at that, and Oregon & California, too many times – and not only near misses with cars. I’ve nearly been hit by bikes, too.
There are a lot of close calls at that intersection, especially from cars trying to beat the light – heading west and turning south. The weird paint job and free right turns from all directions doesn’t help either.
I was at that corner just as the first fire truck arrived. A woman was on her knees in the street, with a large white pickup stopped at an angle behind her in the crosswalk. I’ve seen a lot of accidents at this corner, and can’t quite figure out why – except for a lot of bad, stupid drivers.
I can tell you why, if the truck was heading east and turning left. The way the lanes are drawn, cars coming up the hill are concealed by any vehicle turning left in the other direction. So drivers are overly concerned with trying to see any oncoming cars as they make the turn, and often need to make the turn quickly because they only see a car coming at them once they have pulled out into its path. With all that going on, they might neglect to check for people in the crosswalk.
Based on the position of the vehicle when I was there, the truck had been headed north on 42nd and made a left onto Alaska. It appeared that the person had been hit in that crosswalk. If the driver “neglected to check for people in the crosswalk” then that’s on them. The fact that there’s a lot going on is not an excuse, and pedestrians should not be the last consideration when it comes to safe drving. A dented bumper vs. a person dead in the street should be a no-brainer, but the line is blurred here in the land of car worship.
Hope they’ll be alright, people get hit there (or nearly hit) fairly often because drivers take that corner super fast and or without looking. A lot of people in my building cross where the QFC garage entrance is because it’s been safer overall. =(
This intersection really could benefit from upgraded traffic signals with arrows so that turning vehicles aren’t going at the same time as those headed straight thru it. It’s super easy to slingshot yourself across it when coming downhill on 42nd. The Qfc area is especially busy between patrons and residents having to squeak their way carefully out onto 42nd from a blind alleyway, and traffic flying up and down the hill. I think it needs a turn signal upgrade and turns on red should not be allowed.
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