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Pedestrian Fatalities Rise in JanuaryAs we look back on the first month of 2012, the River Region has seen a rise in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities. Prattville had its first bike fatality in more than 10 years Tuesday night. 56-year old Gregory Howard was hit by a vehicle on Carver Street while riding his bike in front of the Prattville Church of God. He died at the Prattville Baptist Emergency Room and police say the investigation of the accident is ongoing. Howard was known for getting around on his bicycle, usually to help his neighbors. “It just happened, he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Howard’s friend Kendal Steel. Tuesday’s fatality rounds out a total of five pedestrian related deaths in the River Region during January. Two people were struck and killed in Montgomery, one man was hit in Wetumpka, and a 5-year old boy died in Titus after being hit near his bus stop. Local authorities said January has been an unusually busy month for accidents. “The only common factor is pedestrian error, people get distracted, with other things going on and that's your safety at that moment,” said Sgt. Brian Champlin, an Accident Investigative Supervisor at the Montgomery Police Department.
Despite being just a month into 2012, the city of Montgomery is nearly surpassing its three total fatalities last year, with two deaths already in January.
Sgt. Champlin said people texting while driving, sending emails on their phones, using the GPS or radio can lead to distractions on the roadways. Which is why he says pedestrians and motorists need to work together to be aware of each other on the roadways.
“We encourage if possible, [for pedestrians to] make eye contact with the driver while they're sitting at the lights, so they can see you in case the light changes while you're midstream out into the roadway,” he said.
But police say pedestrians and bicyclists "only" have the right of way while walking through a crosswalk.
“It's still up to the pedestrian when making a decision to cross the road way, to make sure at that time and moment it’s safe for that person to cross,” Sgt. Champlin said.
Police encourage pedestrians to avoid busy roadways like Eastern Blvd. in Montgomery. However, if you must travel on busy streets, police suggest wearing reflective or bright gear over your clothing. Also, if a cross walk is not nearby, Police recommend crossing at a red light.
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