Locals provide tips to fight pedestrian-involved car crashes

PERMIAN BASIN, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – For Odessa insurance agent Eric Easley, any type of car crash presents complexities.

"A car can't just stop on a dime," he said. "A pickup can't just stop on a dime. You know, a lot of people just walk out in front of somebody and think, 'Oh, they'll stop'. It's not always that easy."

Car crashes involving pedestrians are no different. When a pedestrian was struck by a car while attempting to cross Big Spring Street in Midland October 29 , that marked the first of two crashes involving pedestrians in a four-day span. Ned Simmons, the owner of Big C's Driving School, said the crash could have easily been prevented.

"If you're crossing the street at your own crossing, at your own discretion, that's going to make it harder for drivers," he said. "Especially a driver that's not seeing you. I would tell pedestrians try to get to those crosswalks as much as possible."

Midland Police Department said it has seen one more fatality from pedestrian-involved crashes this year than in 2023. However, it also said the number of crashes involving pedestrians has decreased from 29 to 16, with pedestrians considered at fault for about 66 percent of them.

RELATED: MPD: Pedestrian injured in downtown Midland hit-and-run

Simmons said drivers can prevent these crashes by being aware of their surroundings.

"If you're scanning the roadway, you know, during a rush hour, you should kind of have an understanding of what's happening, where pedestrians are positioned on the sidewalks or into the roadways," he said.

He also said people crossing streets and parking lots while doing holiday shopping is one example of a situation where drivers can be mindful.