(Phoenix, AZ) A pedestrian died after a collision with a vehicle on Interstate 17, north of Phoenix on November 9.
On Monday, after 4 a.m., the collision occurred on I-17 in the New River area. DPS initially confirmed that a vehicle and a pedestrian were involved. Officials at the scene later confirmed that one person had died.
Video from the scene appeared to show a semi-truck with front-end damage. DPS’s initial account did not identify the vehicle that struck the pedestrian. Officials said the roadway was open and the cause of the crash remained under investigation.
Understanding the Interstate 17 Crash
How the pedestrian came into the vehicle’s path matters to the legal analysis. A person visible on the roadway from a distance presents a different situation from someone who enters a travel lane with little warning.
Arizona Revised Statutes 28-794 requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians on a roadway and to sound the horn when necessary. Here, the pedestrian’s position and when the driver could reasonably have seen them would help determine what precautions were possible.
Arizona Revised Statutes 28-701 requires a reasonable and prudent speed for the actual and potential hazards. If visibility was limited before dawn, the relevant question would be whether the vehicle was traveling at a speed that allowed a reasonable response within the distance the driver could see.
The apparent damage shown in the footage cannot answer those questions on its own. The vehicle’s approach and the pedestrian’s movements before impact would provide the context needed to assess both duties.
Advice for the Family
When you contact Arizona DPS about the Interstate 17 crash, ask for the report number and whether investigators have confirmed which vehicle struck the pedestrian. You can use that number to request the collision report when it becomes available and check whether it identifies the lane or shoulder where the impact occurred.
If you have any concerns about navigating the legal process surrounding this incident, call 888-888-9285 to speak with a lawyer.
