Pedestrian Injured by Semi-Truck on Interstate 10 in El Paso, TX
El Paso, TX — June 22, 2022, a pedestrian was struck and seriously injured by a semi-truck on Interstate 10 in El Paso.
According to reports the incident happened around 8:00 p.m. on westbound I-10 between Airway and Geronimo, close to Bassett Place. There aren't many details about the collision, but a semi-truck reportedly hit a pedestrian in the travel lanes.
The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Pedestrian Accident on I-10 in El Paso
Some folks think an accident like this must be the pedestrian's fault for being on foot in the highway, but the law decides fault based only on objective facts. Depending on what those facts turn out to be in El Paso, this incident may not be as straightforward as people think.
The law requires all drivers to do everything they can to prevent a crash, even in situations where they have the technical right-of-way. That standard of care is actually higher for professional truck drivers, so determining whether they conducted themselves properly at the wheel in El Paso is important. If a reasonably prudent professional driver doing what they're supposed to (hands on the wheel, sober, eyes on the road, traveling the speed limit, headlights on, etc) couldn't have avoided the victim then it wouldn't be fair to blame them for what occurred. However, if it's found they could have done something differently to prevent the wreck or lessen its damage then it's important to find out why that didn't happen.
I'm not accusing the truck driver of anything here. I'm only saying that this incident like most others needs more work to fully understand it. Exactly where was the pedestrian in relation to the road? Were they walking/running along a travel lane, crossing the road, or on the shoulder? How long were they there before the truck came along? Where did they come from before entering the road? How visible were they at the time, just before sunset? Was the truck in good working order? Was the driver paying attention to the road? Did anything prevent either person from noticing the other?
I don't ask those questions to unfairly blame anyone or to say I know more than news sources or police let on. I only want the same careful investigation any crash should get to be sure the whole truth is found. Even if further analysis just confirms what's already been said, it's important to know that just the facts tell the final story. Those affected deserve to know that everything was properly accounted for when bringing them much-needed answers.
