5th auto-ped accident in week raises concern

A 15-year-old girl was hit by a car while walking to school Wednesday morning in Taylorsville, one of several auto-pedestrian accidents along the Wasatch Front this week.

The latest incident was just before 8 a.m. near 6700 South and 1850 West. A Taylorsville High School student was crossing the street to get to a car full of friends who were waiting for her. She walked between cars stopped in the turning lane, said Taylorsville Assistant Police Chief Wayne Dial. Once she got past the stopped cars, she was struck by an oncoming van, he said.

"She was knocked quite a distance," he said.

Initially the girl was in critical condition but was upgraded to serious by the time she was flown to a local hospital.

About 90 minutes before that incident, a woman was hit while crossing the street near 3900 South and State Street. The impact sent her flying about 50 feet and caused "fairly significant trauma," said Unified Fire Authority Capt. Jay Torgersen.

Police say the accidents are yet more reminders of why both pedestrians and motorists need to be aware of each other and take simple precautions such as crossing with the light in crosswalks and not driving while distracted.

The string of auto-pedestrian accidents started Sunday when an 11-year-old boy was struck by a car that ran a red light near 4800 S. Redwood Road. He was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

A 14-year-old girl carrying a skateboard was hit while walking to school Monday morning at 800 East and 200 South. She was in a crosswalk. Police said the glare of the sun in the driver's eyes may have been to blame.

An accident Tuesday morning claimed a man who tried to cross I-15 near Layton. He was struck by a semitruck and killed.

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