Tigard Hit and Run Car Accident
Posted on Nov 14, 2011 8:57pm PST
Driver Seriously Injured in Hit and Run Car Accident
A motorist who had stopped to change a tire on the shoulder of the northbound 217 was the victim of a
hit and run car accident in Tigard early Saturday morning on November 12, 2011. The identity of the 32 year old victim who is thought to be seriously injured has not been released, but police would like anyone with information about this crime to contact them as soon as possible. This serious car accident took place at about 3 a.m. where the southbound Pacific Highway connects to the northbound 217 in Tigard, Oregon. The hit and run driver is thought to have been driving a carbon gray colored Honda with a production year between 1998 and 2002. The hit and run vehicle will have damage to the passenger side front fender and bumper. If you have any information about the driver or vehicle involved in this serious injury hit and run collision, please contact the
Tigard Police Department at (503) 639-6168.
Changing a flat tire on the shoulder of a freeway or highway, typically with a posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour, is an extremely dangerous choice. You should consider every other realistic option before deciding to change a tire on the freeway. Many drivers will opt to drive slowly along the shoulder of the highway until they reach the next exit, then change the tire off the freeway. Driving slowly will reduce the chances that your wheel or rim will be ruined but it's still a possibility. Even so, many drivers will gladly replace the entire ruined wheel rather than risk death changing a tire on the freeway. Rather than risk a catastrophic car accident, continue driving slowly on the shoulder with your hazards on until you can get off the highway. Or stay in your car with your hazard lights on and call for roadside assistance.
A driver changing a tire on the shoulder of the highway will attract the attention of most other motorists as they drive by. A natural reaction for most drivers is to survey, as they approach, what the stopped motorist is doing on the shoulder. This leads to a deadly tendency for a driver to drift toward what he or she is watching along the shoulder. This is especially true when a motorist is tired or intoxicated. To make matters worse, at night the flashing lights of a stopped car on the shoulder can act as a beacon for tired or intoxicated drivers. Suffice it to say that if your car's engine is running, it's often better to drive on a flat tire until you are off the highway in order to change a tire.
If you're going to change a tire on the highway, there are some things you can do to minimize your risk of danger. Be familiar with how your tire changing equipment works. Practice at least once in your driveway changing a tire on your car soon after you purchase it. Being familiar with your car's jack system, exactly where your lug wrench is, and where the jack is placed on your car can drastically reduce the time it takes for you to change your tire. The less time you're on the shoulder of the highway exposed to danger the better. Also consider using road flares to alert other drivers to your predicament. Place them well behind your car so approaching motorists have plenty of time to notice and give you more room.
Lastly, if you are involved in a car accident you must stop, assist the other motorist, call for help if necessary and exchange the required information. If you do not stop, you have committed a serious crime and will likely face serious consequences.
If you have any questions about hit and run car accidents or how your uninsured motorist coverage may help cover the losses of a hit and run car accident, contact a Portland car accident attorney at Angel Law PC.