A teenager walking to school was hospitalized Monday morning after she was struck by a driver at 19th and Thomas.
Seattle Police and Seattle Fire responded to the collision just after 8 AM at the busy intersection near the newly reopened Meany Middle School. A woman sat in a white four-door sedan facing east in the eastbound lane of E Thomas as police gathered evidence at the scene. We’re waiting for an update from SPD for more on the investigation. UPDATE 2/27/18 10:30 AM: SPD tells us the official reports on the crash — as usual with collision reporting managed by the state — are not yet available but that it does not appear that the driver was impaired. There are also some good signs for the victim’s condition — police were able to clear the scene and wrap up the investigation quickly indicating her injuries were not serious.
Seattle Fire said the girl who was struck was transported to Harborview in stable condition.
The intersection remained open during the investigation but traffic was backed up in the area during the school drop-off rush hour.
That’s an awful intersection. I used to live around the corner. Hope she is ok. For some reason people can’t figure out how to drive the 4-way stop there.
Many just roll through the intersection oblivious to others or whose turn it is. It may be time for a real stop light here.
How about just a bit of enforcement (for this stop sign and all of them… and for crosswalks too)….
Seattle drivers are horrible.. 9 times out of 10 if they aren’t forced to stop at a stop sign by other traffic they roll right through… They also get so fixated on who is next at a 4 way stop that they don’t look for pedestrians, nor respect their right of way.
Remember folks – a stop sign means exactly that STOP – completely stop moving – *behind* the stop line or crosswalk – look all ways – proceed only when it’s safe and pedestrians have made it *all of the way across* the street, on a 2 lane road like 19th.
People drive way too fast on Thomas, too.
Horrible–I’m so glad to hear she is in stable condition. In the same area, I don’t understand why SDOT hasn’t installed a blinking cross light at 21st and John. I’ve heard that it has to do with how many cars pass through per hour but it seems that in the case of a school crossing other factors should be considered.
This intersection has always been scary for pedestrians and gets worse as our population grows. I do everything I can to avoid it when out with my 4 year old, which is tough when you live on one side of it but the park, groceries, and day care are on the other. It’s also scary to drive through the intersection, as the pedestrians aren’t always looking out for themselves and people still seem to struggle with how to use a 4 way stop (legendary Seattle problem) so it definitely could use some attention.
The law is that the vehicle on the right at a 4-way stop gets the right-of-way, but very few motorists seem to know this….or, if they do, they ignore it.
It’s slightly more complex than that… The vehicle that arrives first has the right of way – If two vehicles arrive simultaneously *then* the vehicle on the right has the right of way.
What I see quite often, when I drive and especially when I am am cycling, is that I will arrive and come to a *complete* stop. Another car will arrive at the cross street and slow slightly… They then attempt to continue because they are “on the right”, cutting me off, because they have not come to a full stop.
Another thing I notice is that when pedestrians are thrown into the mix some people’s brains explode… Yes… if the pedestrians are not crossing in front of you, you may proceed even if the people who have to wait got there first…
CD Neighbor, I think you hit the nail on the head. I actually think drivers at this intersection are pretty good about stopping, not running the stops. But they do get so caught up in the “go/no YOU go” thing that they miss pedestrians crossing right in front of them–especially if the pedestrian is on their left.
This would be a perfect spot to have one of those buttons that make lights on the crosswalk flash.
Agreed, CD Neighbor.
Many in Seattle seem to have become incredibly rushed and greedy when driving. I won’t succumb to it. When I approach a 4 way stop at the same time as another driver, I actually roll to a stop so they arrive first and can proceed ahead of me to eliminate confusion. This seems to be the best tactic. Their rush to come first seems to place pedestrians at a disadvantage, sadly.
I agree with Jim. When you are at such an intersection, your brain is focusing on the other vehicles, who goes first etc. Any pedestrians trying to cross, take second place, unfortunately. I have occasionally been guilty of not yielding to pedestrians in such situations (also when trying to take a right on red), so I try very hard not to do this again.