Last Wednesday, Sarah Halperin was jogging when she was struck by a car in a metro Atlanta pedestrian accident. She was taken to Atlanta Medical Center, unconscious and with no identification, just her iPod. A recent graduate of Emory University, Halperin had registered her iPod with Apple which turned out to be the only link the hospital had to her identity. Incredibly, the hospital staff was able to trace her iPod registration number to identifying information and then locate her mother.
Car and pedestrian accidents are unfortunately common in an urban area, particularly a community like Decatur where there is greater pedestrian activity. The early morning hours of darkness and light traffic cause many pedestrians, runners and drivers to relax and be a little less cautious than during the busy daylight hours. Pedestrian accidents often have serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury, broken bones and paralysis. Drivers need to keep an extra eye out for pedestrians and runners during the predawn hours and individuals who are on foot need to be aware that they are often not visible to drivers and take extra precaution.
The driver of the car in this accident did the right thing and stopped to help, but some drivers have said they weren't even aware they had hit a person. Here are some safety tips if you are a pedestrian or an active runner: 1) wear an identification bracelet or tag on your shoes, 2) wear reflective clothing, 3) run against traffic, 4) cross only in a crosswalk, and 4) be aware that if you are plugged in to an electronic device you cannot hear cars approaching behind you. We certainly hope for the best for Ms. Halperin and congratulate the nurse who followed up on the iPod registration and tracked down the family members.
Additional Resources:
Road Runners Club of America Safety Tips
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