Pedestrian dies in New York truck accident

A woman was fatally struck by a truck in New York on Friday afternoon. The 57 year old pedestrian was crossing 39th Street and 10th Ave when she was hit by a truck. The truck driver was travelling North on 10th Ave and was making a left turn on 39th street (see picture) when the accident happened.  The driver identified as 28 year old Clyburn Rance stayed at the scene of the accident. He was later arrested by the police.  He was charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian, failure to exercise due care, and failure to adhere to the highway law.

At the beginning of November, a campaign entitled “Dusk and Darkness” was launched in New York City to inform drivers and pedestrians about the increased risk of accidents during fall and winter darkness. During the 3 months following daylight saving time, twilight sets around 4:30 pm in New York City.  Between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm when most commuters are coming out of work, the streets are already dark. The risk of accidents increases as visibility decreases and a higher number of pedestrians hit the streets of New York City.  Recent statistics show that 6 out of 9 pedestrian accidents during the 3 months following daylight saving times occur after sunset.

The intersection of 10th Ave and 39th street is extremely busy on Friday around 5:00 pm as it is located next to the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey.

Read more on CBS News

Picture: the intersection where the fatal truck accident occurred, courtesy of Google Maps