The decisions that individuals make can have serious consequences, both for themselves and others. After a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian, it may be possible to trace the decisions that each party made contributing to the accident.
Following a recent dinner date with friends, a 78-year-old Bronx man decided to walk home from the restaurant rather than accept a ride. Shortly thereafter, a speeding city bus struck him as he attempted to cross the street. The man died at the hospital five days later.
Decisions leading up to the crash
It appears that, for reasons that are not clear, the man attempted to cross the street against the red light. While authorities have not confirmed whether the bus was speeding, a friend of the decedent who witnessed the collision describes the bus “barreling through” the intersection.
Reportedly the bus driver was the only person on board and did not have a stop to make for another four or five blocks. The MTA has issued no comment, but the driver reportedly remained at the scene as required by law. There is no report of any injury to the bus driver, and authorities have not filed charges.
Decisions following the crash
Though the man who died led an interesting life, having encounters with several prominent celebrities, he never married and had no close relatives. A cousin in Maryland allowed a close friend of his to make the difficult decision to take him off life support five days after the crash. The man who died had been a friend of the woman’s husband for many years. After her husband died, she and the decedent spent more time together, becoming almost as close as husband and wife.
Drivers and pedestrians make hundreds of decisions every day. It may not always be possible to think about those decisions thoroughly beforehand, but they can lead to an accident that takes a life or changes it forever.