With two accidents involving pedestrians being struck by vehicles within 24 hours, police are asking drivers to slow down and be mindful when they hit the road.
A pedestrian was struck in a crosswalk Tuesday just before noon on Aberdeen Road and North Street after a vehicle failed to yield for the crosswalk at the intersection.
Incidents like this tend to happen more this time of year due to a number of factors, said Bridgewater Police deputy chief Danny MacPhee.
“Were starting to get our windshields and rear windows frosted and snow covered, and of course with the time change its getting dark a little earlier,” he said.
“Add in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, there is always that worry of there being more collisions during this time of year.”
A similar accident happened less than 24 hours before on Monday evening, when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle backing out of their driveway.
While he didn’t have much info on Monday’s incident, as the responding officer was off at the time of reporting, MacPhee said the pedestrian from Tuesday’s incident was treated for non-life threatening injuries and was released from the hospital later that day.
The driver was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Incidents like this often happen as people start to rush to get where they are going, said Macphee.
“I find when people either are rushing into work and don’t have enough time to clear off their vehicle or let it defrost, or they are rushing on roadways when the conditions don’t allow for that speed, that’s when the problems really occur” he said.
MacPhee recommends drivers give themselves more time to travel during the holidays and winter months, so they can better analyze any potential issues they run into.
“If you are in a hurry, something always tends to get in the way,” he said, “such as weather or traffic, and that’s when people get frustrated and make bad decisions.”
