NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Pedestrians are calling for safety measures to be put in place after a man was hit in a crosswalk.
Crossing the street at Shelby Avenue and South 10th Street can be risky.
"We typically tried to avoid this area because of the cars coming in too fast, especially turning right down here," John Fitzpatrick said.
While walking their dog, Rosie, John and Jennifer Fitzpatrick noticed that the crosswalk is at the bottom of a hill.
"We were just coming that way and I noticed there was that blindside on the right side of this hill,” Jennifer Fitzpatrick said. “Cars going to be on you like super-fast."
When they lived in California, they said drivers were more likely to yield to pedestrians than in Nashville.
"It seems like here the pedestrian has to watch out for the car," Fitzpatrick said.
On Sunday around 5:30 p.m., a man crossing the intersection was struck by a driver in the crosswalk area. He was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with serious injuries that required surgery. Metro Nashville Police Department officials said the driver was distracted by another person and failed to stop. The driver reportedly cooperated with officers on scene, and they were not cited.
"There’s going to be a lot of people like myself that are just wandering via our phone, and just slow down,” Tom Shanley said. “The city’s only five minutes away, so don’t rush."
Shanley said safety measures should be put in place.
"It was a little sketchy to cross," Shanley said.
Some pedestrians wonder if a traffic light at the intersection would help. Others suggested flashing lights on the ground to get the attention of drivers in the dark.
Friends are working on getting together a fundraiser for the man who was hit to help him during this difficult time.
