MTA Bus Collides With and Kills Pedestrian and Dog

A horrific bus accident occurred today taking the life of a pedestrian and his dog.  According to KABC News, the accident happened in the 8100 Block of Webb Avenue in Sun Valley when an MTA bus struck the pedestrian and his dog at about 11:00 a.m.  An MTA representative has indicated the victim was walking his dog when it got loose and ran into the street.  The accident happened when the man ran into the street after his dog.  The accident is under investigation.

Scene of The Accident

The tragic collision above occurred along a stretch of Webb Avenue that is flat, straight and with no obstructions.  Looking at the aerial photograph provided by KABC News, it appears the victim and his dog were hit in the number one lane very near the Cristo Es La Roca church.  Assuming the photograph documents the point of rest of the bus, it appears the MTA bus traveled in the number one lane for some distance after the impact.  It is unknown what speed the bus was traveling just prior to the accident, and it is not readily apparent what the speed limit is at the scene, although there is a 35 mph limit posted some distance away.

Reconstruction Issues

Anytime a moving vehicle strikes a pedestrian, issues of speed and perception-reaction time are considered.  When a vehicle is traveling at 35 mph, this translates to about 52 feet per second.  Since the generally accepted perception-reaction time is about 1.5 seconds, if the potential collision can be anticipated from a distance of greater than 78 feet then it could be avoided.  In other words, if the bus driver could have seen the pedestrian in the road when the bus was roughly 80 feet away from the point of impact, the accident could likely have been avoided by an attentive driver.  These reconstruction issues are the same law enforcement generally considers, or should consider, when determining fault for an accident.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident, contacting a personal injury attorney is a good first toward obtaining compensation for the injuries and damages sustained.

SOURCE:  MTA bus kills pedestrian, dog in Sun Valley, KABC News, Los Angeles News, August 14, 2013