A Runner, A Truck, a Crash, and Conflicting Reports

[XLFD]

The truth about most coverage of accidents involving motor vehicles and BMPs (Bicyclist/Motorcyclists/Pedestrians) is that what truly happened and what truly caused the accident is left out.  A case in point is a truck-pedestrian accident that happened in rural Riverton Township over the last weekend.  The two news accounts by local media differ about a significant factor in the crash. 

The investigating Mason County deputies appear to find no fault for either party in the accident, though the incident probably could have been avoided by proper and safe behavior by either.  Here are the two versions of what happened, followed by analysis.

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP — A 35-year-old Livonia man was struck by a pickup truck while he and a 28-year-old Livonia woman were jogging in the 5700 block of West Meisenheimer Road about 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

According to Sgt. Adam Lamb of Mason County Sheriff’s Office, the pickup, driven by a 24-year Ludington man, was westbound on Meiseheimer and came over a small hill and struck the eastbound jogger on the north side of the road, on the downslope of the hill.
The jogger, who was conscious and alert on the scene was transported by ambulance to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital.

Responding to the scene, in addition to the sheriff’s office, were Riverton Township Fire Department and Life EMS.

In the Monday edition of the City of Ludington Daily News (COLDNews) added a more exact time (11:21 AM), the name of the 24 y.o. driver (Jonathon Ashley), and that the driver "saw two joggers running on the edge of the road, also westbound." 

The truck's bumper struck Michael Krause of Livonia, his body then struck the passenger side of the vehicle, with his head hitting that side's rear view mirror.  Fortuntely, Krause has been released after treatment of relatively minor injuries.

The map above is an overview of the 5700 block of West Meisenheimer, the highlighted area being the likely spot where the incident took place.  Like most of Riverton Township, Meisenheimer Road is a series of rolling hills, so the potential of accidents like this happening are increased when drivers crest them going at high rates of speed.

The two media sources using the same report, differs in one significant aspect: which way the jogger was running.  If the MCP article is correct, the joggers were following the law, if the COLDNews is correct, the joggers may have been in violation if they were using the road and not the shoulder.

I have inspected the area firsthand, there is plenty of room to run on the recently-mowed shoulder without being on the road on either side.  I also was able to determine that if a driver was aware of the road and driving westward, he should have seen the runner(s) on the roadside on his way up to the hillcrest.  This is an extra surety if the runner(s) were also going west, as they would have crested the hill well within the sight of the truck driver.  There were several seconds of driving where they would have seen runners before they went over the top of the hill.

For this reason, and the fact that the runner was an older runner who should have been aware of how to run safely, I would have to believe the initial account by MCP, where the runner(s) are headed towards the truck, legally on the road. 

This being the case, the driver is at fault for this incident.  He did not share the lane, primarily because of the fact that he wasn't driving at a speed safe for that stretch of road.  The runner may have some culpability if he had not prudently vacated the road on hearing the approach of the truck up the hill, thereby avoiding an encounter that would not end in his favor.  It could even be that he unwisely wore earphones and was unaware of the approach.  He very well may have and still got struck while on the shoulder of the road.

But once again this summer, a driver hits a vulnerable user of the road by not operating their vehicle safely and within the law, and looks to get away without even a ticket for it.  This one at least wasn't fatal.

[AQUAMAN]

I am guessing in this particular case, that the driver should have been at fault. However, just my observations this summer of recent say that all too many tourist-type bicyclists and runners are not using caution nor common sense while on roadways. All too many are pushing the limits by being in the road, some right in the middle of a lane, and not on the shoulder. I have been close to several accidents as a result, none really close though, where I would have to swerve too far. The runners/bicyclists are giving me the middle finger sometimes, and also have see them verbalizing after I pass them. If the pedestrian is pushing the limits, just to prove some point, they should be aware that cars always win when an accident happens. I doubt they are doing this in the city where most I assume are from. Either way, I say be extra careful right now, as they are everywhere, and don't seem to care that traffic is sharing their paths. The pedestrians need to know, they may be right, and also dead right! I think these people need to be on 25-30 mph roads, not some 45-55 mph road to begin with.