Pedestrian killed in collision trying to cross Highway 6

A pedestrian was hit and killed this morning at approximately 5:30am in an accident on Highway 6 near Piping Rock. Details are sketchy at this time, it appears the pedestrian was either trying to cross Highway 6 or was walking along it. The identity of the pedestrian has not been release. Houston Chronicle report is here.

The web site for Safe Kids USA offers lots of valuable information regarding pedestrian safety, including a Pedestrian Safety Fact Sheet. Safe Kids USA reports that:

* Children sustain more than 39,000 nonfatal pedestrian injuries each year.
* In 2005, there were 339 pedestrian fatalities in children ages 14 years and under. The year prior, 583 children died and nearly 70 percent of these deaths were motor vehicle-related traffic crashes.
* 33,571 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms for pedestrian-related injuries in 2005.
* Between 1995 and 2005, the number of child pedestrian fatalities decreased by 51 percent.
* The maturity level of a child under 10 years of age makes him/her unable to correctly gauge the speed of vehicles putting them at greater risk for injury and death.
* Other than in the street, driveways, parking lots and on sidewalks are where young children ages 0-2 years suffer the highest number of injuries as pedestrians.
* 83 percent of child pedestrian deaths occur at non-intersection locations.
* 1 in 4 child pedestrian deaths occur between 6 – 9p.m.
* On average, 12 children die each year in school bus-related crashes