Car Crash Injures Pedestrian in Parking Lot

Date: October 29, 2009
Location: Sunset Esplanade, Hillsboro, Oregon
Names: Angela Walters, Jeffrey Kenney

Angela Walters, 29, of Hillsboro, Oregon, had just gotten off a bus and was hurrying through the Sunset Esplanade parking lot October 29, 2009, around 4:15 PM, when she was struck by a car, according to The Hillsboro Argus. Police said Walters didn’t see the car driven by Jeffrey Kenney, 40, also of Hillsboro, and that Kenney did not see Walters either. Walters’s back was broken in the sudden, shocking accident, but, fortunately, doctors said she was not paralyzed.

Walters had spotted another car and made eye contact with the driver, but did not see the second car, driven by Kenney. Kenney’s car and Walters collided. She rolled onto the hood and into the windshield.

Walters was initially transported to Tuality Healthcare, but was transferred to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital after doctors discovered her back was broken. A nurse at OHSU said that Walters was “doing good.” She was not in a critical care unit.

Kenney was driving at a very slow speed, between 5 and 10 mph, at the time of the crash. No alcohol or drugs were involved, and no citations were issued.

According to FamilyCar.com, parking lots are the scene of innumerable fender benders, and pedestrians are especially at risk. Most parking lots do not have pedestrian walks, so those on foot must walk through a maze of parked and moving vehicles. In addition, drivers are often focused on claiming a parking spot, instead of worrying about safety. Some drivers believe that, since they are on private property, Stop and Yield signs are optional. Other drivers ignore traffic lanes and cut through the lot diagonally. The most dangerous parking lots? Post offices, because they have such a high turnover, with cars often parking for less than five minutes.

Always drive slowly in parking lots. Obey the signs, stay in traffic lanes, and be aware of what’s going on around you – in front, to both sides, and in back. Remember that parked cars can obscure vision and that many pedestrians have small children in tow.

We send our wishes to Walters. This could have been a lot worse, and we are grateful there wasn’t more damage. We hope Walters makes a full recovery