Pedestrian safety a priority on Upper Darby streets

UPPERDARBY>> The Upper Darby Police Department is emphasizing extreme caution for pedestrians who cross township streets after a young man was struck by a car Tuesday evening crossing against the flow of traffic at a busy intersection.

“As a densely populated township, driving behaviors are consistently a leading use of concern among members of the community,” reads a department press release. “The Upper Darby Police respond to those concerns with both enforcement and educational efforts. Often forgotten in these moments are the behaviors of pedestrians the can either increase or decrease the possibility of a tragedy on the highway.

The accident from Tuesday, which left the man with a fractured arm, a cut to his head and bumps and bruises, “is just one example of risky pedestrian behavior that could have resulted in death or serious bodily injury.”

According to police, the young man was attempting to continue walking eastbound on State Road across North Lansdowne Avenue at 6 p.m. that evening. He ignored the red traffic signals for State Road traffic and proceeded to cross Lansdowne as the left turn lanes had priority for vehicles to proceed to State. Regular north/south traffic proceeds on Lansdowne as he was stuck on a “very narrow concrete median strip” between the southbound traffic lanes and the northbound left turn lane.

“The young man spent more than 17 seconds in a very dangerous location with minimal protection,” state the press release.

Northbound traffic began to clear, but the left turn lane started to accumulate a line of cars that obstructed the man’s vision on that downhill portion of Lansdowne, and obstructed the striking vehicle driver’s vision of the designated crosswalk area the man was trying to cross.

“Thinking northbound traffic had cleared out, the pedestrian began running toward the far sidewalk on the east side of the intersection (toward the Exxon Gas Station). This is when the pedestrian was struck,” according to police.

The driver was not driving excessively and braked, but there was not enough time to prevent the violent impact. He has not been charged. The victim smashed half of the car’s windshield with additional denting on the hood. After the impact the young man was able to make it to the McDonald’s restaurant at that intersection and wait for emergency services. He was transported to Lankenau Medical Center.

“Only the best of luck placed him in a spot where neither the striking vehicle nor a second vehicle, could hit him a second time,” said police.

According to Upper Darby Police Capt. Tom Johnson, the pedestrian was not distracted by their phone or anything else when he was crossing the street.

State and Lansdowne is a notable intersection of activity during the school year when thousands of students pour out from Upper Darby High School less than a block up, and Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School just beyond that, at dismissal every afternoon. With school in session in two weeks, police want everyone to be vigilant and cross only in designated areas and designated times.