Woman struck by car in crosswalk on South State Street in Ann Arbor
A University of Michigan staff member was taken to the hospital Wednesday night after she was struck by a car in the crosswalk of the 700 block of South State Street, police said.
The woman was taken by ambulance to the University of Michigan Hospital’s emergency room with non-life threatening injuries, University of Michigan police said in a summary on the daily incident log.
The collision occurred about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in a marked crosswalk, police said. The crosswalk is near Weill Hall between Hill Street and Monroe Street.
The driver of the vehicle was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, police said.
A report in the Michigan Daily indicated the woman was conscious as she was being taken to the hospital.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Tru2Blu76
Sat, Mar 10, 2012 : 6:33 a.m.
I hear several European cities are eliminating vehicle traffic altogether in downtown areas. Great idea: roads 35-feet wide make great walkways and bike paths. (i.e., arrangement for emergency vehicles have been made in those areas). London, UK, severely restricts vehicle traffic on a scheduled basis. The crosswalk law can be viewed as a failure: due to its accommodating motorists who don't understand what change of habit means. Nor do they understand what "college campus area" means. Nor do they understand what "human being directly in front of you" means. Sheesh!! Brain washing by auto companies not withstanding: drivers licenses and vehicle registrations should be levied @ high enough rates to cover all road and bridge maintenance AND cover collision and liability insurance. Users should pay, not the "general public."
OverTaxed
Sat, Mar 10, 2012 : 4:25 p.m.
First Tru2Blu76, you want Europe, move there. This is the US of A here. I bet Mother's in Euope taught their kids to look both ways, in the old days before Socialism. By your analogy, walkers and bikers use the roads, they should pay for some of the costs. Why do I pay for the walk/bike lane? Why do I pay for fancy crosswalks. Let's tax walkers and bikers!
Jim Clarkson
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.
Your little map shows 721 State street. Is there even a crosswalk there?
lynel
Fri, Mar 9, 2012 : 12:19 a.m.
One might also wonder if commenters read other comments.
aturid
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 8:41 p.m.
This is now the third time that the error has been pointed out. One wonders if and when annarbor.com will ever get it right.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.
If you click on the link in the last sentence it takes you to the Michigan daily article. It has some on scene pictures. There is clearly a cross walk.
Val
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 8:04 p.m.
This cross walk ordinance is only here in Ann Arbor. It is not a State law. Was the driver a resident of Ann Arbor? If not, then how would they know that the pedistrian has the right of way? Here is a real problem. People walk out in front of cars thinking that the car will stop. Unfortunately it is hard to see people depending on the time of day, the color of their clothes and weather conditions at the time. People can see the car coming much easier then a driver who may be distracted by any number of things. And how many j-walking tickets are issued everyday in Ann Arbor? People just walk out into traffic as if a 3,000 pound car can stop instantly.
lugemachine
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:56 p.m.
AT a stop-sign or a traffic signal (when I have the "walk" signal) I'm crossing but still exercising caution. If it's a crosswalk without any traffic-control devices (sign/light, etc.) I'm not EVER walking out in front of moving traffic... particularly on a busy stretch of road when it's dark out (e.g. State St. at 7:30 p.m.). I'll stand and make it clear that I'm trying to cross, but I'll still wait until it's apparent that vehicles are going to stop for me. I have little faith in adherence to "local law" and still less faith that the car bearing down on me at 30-40 mph is being operated by an attentive driver. Silly, I know...
AAite
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:27 p.m.
I drive through Plymouth Rd and Huron Pkwy daily. I try to be diligent and watch for people in the cross walk. I get so scared for the pedestrians safety when I stop. I feel the pedestrian then has a false sense of safety and begins to cross when other cars are not paying attention. It is so unsafe. It is also extremely hard to see pedestrians at night, even in lighted crosswalks. The pedestrians can see us, but don't realize they are not very visible. Another unsafe false sense of safety. I usually can't see them until it's too late to stop. I am thankful that the bus stops were finally moved from the crosswalk areas. This caused much confusion. I would plea to night time pedestrians to wear something visible the evening hours. Help us see you!
SMC
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:12 p.m.
Perhaps the driver wasn't paying attention, or texting, or fiddling with the radio, or whatever. In any case, it's up to the pedestrian to pay attention to what the cars are doing, because the consequences of a mistake in this scenario are much more severe for them.
mixmaster
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:58 p.m.
Let's blame everyone else, the City, the traffic laws, society, sunspots, weather, time of day... It's the driver fault, plain and simple. For everyone who blows long and hard about "personal responsibility", I'm interested in why so many of you are willing to blame everyone and everything else for driver ignorance and self righteousness.
OverTaxed
Sat, Mar 10, 2012 : 4:32 p.m.
This is a two party system, unless one of them were a blind person! Both need to watch for the other the best they can do. You can't whip up some new rule so one takes all the blame in this matter. Make people cross at lights like in the past.
SMC
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 9:49 p.m.
Self-righteousness is what makes a person walk out into the middle of traffic, because they know the law protects them from fines, though not from bodily injury.
Woman in Ypsilanti
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 9:20 p.m.
Unfortunately, you can't really tell how much the driver was at fault from the facts presented in this article. Surely you aren't suggesting that drivers who strike pedestrians are always at fault? Have you never had a pedestrian dart out in front of you without looking? Perhaps a dark clothed pedestrian at night? I have no idea of the circumstances of this incident but since this new crosswalk law has gone into effect, I've violated the crosswalk law quite by accident because I couldn't see the dark clothed pedestrian waiting at the cross walk at night in time to stop. They weren't hit because they didn't just start walking. I was not speeding either. I try to respect the law and always stop if I can see the pedestrian but the law is just bad and if it encourages pedestrians to cross without looking both ways because they have the right of way, it is doing those pedestrians a great disservice and putting them into danger.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 8:32 p.m.
how do you know the driver was "self righteousness.'?
Wolf's Bane
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:33 p.m.
This area of State Street is always congested and also marks the start of the arrogant pedestrian zone whereby students, faculty anyone else crosses anytime and anywhere. This 'zone' continues up and through Huron (and State Street). My favorite suggestion? Make the area a pedestrian only zone and force cars elsewhere.
OverTaxed
Sat, Mar 10, 2012 : 4:37 p.m.
I agree, because pedestrians can't follow the rules. Less roads for taxpayers that get nothing from U of M, to pay for. Yeah!
Fordie
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:06 p.m.
The location is wrong in this article. It was in front of Angell Hall and the LSA Building between South U and William, not near Weill Hall. That is according to The Michigan Daily article you link to, and the pictures in their article confirm their location.
JoeNuke
Fri, Mar 9, 2012 : 6:33 p.m.
I had a young woman lean on her horn as I was crossing in this crosswalk a month ago. Drivers do not see the crosswalk.
lugemachine
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:49 p.m.
Thank you! I was trying to remember a crosswalk ANYWHERE between Hill and Monroe. Heading north on State from Hill, I think the next crosswalk you encounter is at South U.
GoBlue1984
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:01 p.m.
Repeal the DANGEROUS pedestrian "safety" ordinance IMMEDIATELY!
mixmaster
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:02 p.m.
Blame the safety ordinance. Obviously it caused the driver to lose control.
TrappedinMI
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:58 p.m.
We don't know all the facts. We don't know what was going on in the mind of the driver or pedestrian. Maybe the person in the car did not see the person walking and is devastated. We just don't know! Speedy recover to the pedestrian!
mixmaster
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:01 p.m.
Drivers are required by law to notice and react safely to potential hazards and this includes being aware of pedestrian and road conditions.
Major
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:56 p.m.
Going to attempt a comment here, seeing the last few on other stories were censored for reasons unknown, I'm at a total loss as to why...anyway, four days ago (at night) I was driving down Plymouth Rd., approaching a "marked crosswalk with island" I slowed as I could (barely) see a man (dressed in all black) walking in the opposing lanes. A car, one length ahead in the left lane did not slow, I was thinking uh oh..here we go..the man, arrogantly acting as if he ruled the Earth, eyes straight ahead, never looking for traffic, marched right on through the island into the left lane directly in front of the other car, tires screeching, cars swerving, hand gestures flying...what a complete mess! Will this problem continue with no resolve until someone dies?
MIKE
Fri, Mar 9, 2012 : 5:09 a.m.
"places like plymouth road need pedestrian bridges or hawk signals like on jackson." Yeah. Or........ We could all learn how to look both ways before crossing, and take some responsibility for ourselves.
G2inA2
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:31 p.m.
I so agree, Major! Several weeks ago on a rainy evening, a man (again, all in black) was trying to cross Washtenaw during rush hour. NO CROSSWALK! And several other folks were out (IN ALL BLACK) crossing streets, riding bikes, etc., etc., When are folks going to wise up and wear something reflective that drivers can SEE!
Forever27
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:27 p.m.
places like plymouth road need pedestrian bridges or hawk signals like on jackson. aside from that, all of the crosswalks that exist in the city existed prior to any of the recent legislation. We have a growing issue of pedestrian traffic in this city, and rather than try to plan for it, our city council just passed a blanket law and put up a few signs around town. For the most part (aside from places like plymouth road) it hasn't caused problems. However, on campus, it has given students a license to jay-walk and ignore the most simplest of concepts like looking both ways before you cross the street.
mixmaster
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:31 p.m.
A ticket for failure to yield? Maybe to a car, but a pedestrian? The ticket should be for failure to yield resulting in bodily injury to a pedestrian and should carry a much stiffer penalty than a simple failure to yield. This is a small example of how entitled some drivers feel when they're behind the wheel. Entitled to be oblivious to the law and above everyone else out there. To all the cagers out there, there are other people in this world other than you and your rolling living room. You and your car do not own the road.
OverTaxed
Sat, Mar 10, 2012 : 4:39 p.m.
If we pay for it, yes we do own the road! Tickets to the pedestrian offenders!
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 8:05 p.m.
"This is a small example of how entitled some drivers feel when they're behind the wheel. Entitled to be oblivious to the law and above everyone else out there." In other words entitled to hit pedestrians? Because thats what happened. Do you think people in cars hit pedestrians on purpose?
ranger007
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:43 p.m.
Maybe along with a drivers "refresh " course they should have a adult safety town to teach the people who don't properly know how to cross a street. People are so quick to jump all over of the person driving the vehicle and point the blame on them every time someone gets stuck.
mixmaster
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:53 p.m.
Speak for yourself. I don't know about you, but other than a fender bender in a parking lot, I've never had a moving violation accident much less hit anyone walking or on a bicycle. There's no reason for jail, but stiff fines, loss of privileges and driver re-education paid by the violator would help make the point that drivers have a legal responsibility to know and obey all traffic laws and always drive with respect for others.
M
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:58 p.m.
I just said this to the other guy, but if people were punished as harshly as you're insinuating for accidents, we'd all be in jail.
grimmk
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:09 p.m.
That's ALL the driver was cited for? Not for injury? Not for HITTING A PERSON with their car?! I hope the person driving has the decency and responsibility to pay for the poor woman's medical bills. And the money too. This system is not working. For many reasons this event happened. Too dark for car to see person? Person assumed car would stop because they knew about the law? Person in car didn't know about the law and thought person would wait? Is there any new update on the seizure inducing strobe lights?
SMC
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:11 p.m.
Perhaps the driver wasn't paying attention, or there was a bee flying around in the car, or whatever. In any case, it's up to the pedestrian to pay attention to what the cars are doing, because the consequences of a mistake in this scenario are much more severe for them.
Jake C
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:07 p.m.
"For many reasons this event happened. Too dark for car to see person? Person assumed car would stop because they knew about the law? Person in car didn't know about the law and thought person would wait? " Those are good points. Let's also consider that maybe the "event" happened because a poisonous spider got into the driver's pants and distracted him. Maybe an aurora borealis temporarily blinded him. Maybe his Zipcar experienced sudden uncontrolled acceleration. Or maybe we can use Occam's Razor and say that the event probably happened because the driver wasn't paying attention to what was going on in front of him, in an area of campus where students & employees are crossing the street all the time. That section of State Street is lit up like a Christmas tree, and 7:30 PM is not super late at night.
M
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:50 p.m.
If people were punished as harshly as you're insinuating for accidents, we'd all be in jail.
G. Orwell
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:04 p.m.
Both the victims should sue the city.
mixmaster
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 10:36 p.m.
It's State law and has been for a long time. Drivers seem to have forgotten this.
james
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 8:06 p.m.
"Pedestrians have always had the right of way." Which is why they get hit by cars. You need to use your best judgement when you cross the street. Otherwise, you won't be around very long. Didn't you learn to "look both ways" before crossing the street? It seems in Ann Arbor, the rule is to cross the street anyway because "the pedestrian has the right-of-way". This is a dangerous way of thinking.
ranger007
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:34 p.m.
You have to be a mind reader these days downtown with the people crossing in a poorly lit cross walk all while listening to music and firing off a text.
Richard
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6:23 p.m.
Pedestrians have always had the right of way.
G. Orwell
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 6 p.m.
@mixmaster When the city purposely creates dangerous conditions, I would say everyone involved are victims. Giving pedestrians the right of way is insane and irresponsible.
mixmaster
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:50 p.m.
And who is the other victim? The driver? You have to be kidding to consider the driver a victim.
golfer
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:01 p.m.
how many people do we have to hit before the city gets the message. THEY DO NOT WORK. either put up lights or get rid of them. we had less people being hit before we had crosswalks!
OverTaxed
Sat, Mar 10, 2012 : 4:42 p.m.
Pedestrians can't understand crosswalk signs at traffic lights, how can they be trusted to know how to cross a street at all.
j
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 7:14 p.m.
annarbor.com's fine reporting failures
aturid
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:32 p.m.
Correction: annarbor.com incorrectly described the crosswalk as being between Hill and Monroe St., when in fact it is the mid-street crosswalk between William and S. University in front of LS&A. Michigan Daily got it right, and, Mort's complaint is valid.
aturid
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:15 p.m.
Um, the only crosswalks in the area described are at the intersections. Or are you suggesting that we ban pedestrians from crossing at intersections?
justcurious
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 4:56 p.m.
Kyle, I don't see why the woman's place of employment has anything to do with this. If she had worked at the Dairy Queen, it would not have been noted would it?
justcurious
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 8:22 p.m.
leezee, silly answer. Packard and State is not U of M property. It is Ann Arbor. She could have worked at any of the businesses around there.
leezee
Thu, Mar 8, 2012 : 5:09 p.m.
If she had been hit near the Dairy Queen, then yes. Which is why the employment is mentioned - because it's so close to/or a part of UM.