Two families were irrevocably changed on Oct. 21 and the sad thing is that the type of accident that took place could have been prevented.
Kenmore resident Joseph David Humphreys was struck and killed by the driver of a Ford F-150 around midnight on the morning of Oct. 21. He was doing something that most Kenmore residents do daily or weekly – walk on the side of the road. He was just 31 years old.
The suspected driver of that vehicle is also a Kenmore resident. Sydney Katelane Jones told police she was trying to light her cigarette when she felt a bump in the road. She looked up and saw nothing. If convicted of felony hit-and-run, Jones family will only be seeing the 24-year-old woman in prison for the foreseeable future. The penalty is up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
Two families irrevocably changed in a split second.
It is no secret that many Kenmore roads are unsafe for pedestrians. Those pedestrians include kids walking to school, adults waiting for the bus, walking to the drugstore or just walking to a friend’s house. Without sidewalks, pedestrians often get forced into the road by garbage cans, parked cars and other obstructions.
Most drivers, from time-to-time, get distracted while on the road. Whether it is driving while sleepy, changing the song on the stereo, tending to children in the back seat or just looking at something out the side window when their eyes should be on the road, we all do it. But doing it in Kenmore might be more dangerous than other cities because of the lack of sidewalks.
Kenmore was incorporated as a city in 1998 and has added 13.5 miles of sidewalks during that time. The Kenmore City Council recently passed a 20-year plan to construct sidewalks within the city. While that plan was well-intentioned and fiscally responsible, it is going to take way too long. The loss of a Kenmore resident should be a wake-up call to every person who lives in the city.
The lack of sidewalks was a dominant topic during the Kenmore City Council candidate forum held Oct. 15. Council incumbent Allan Van Ness suggested a possible bond measure to send to voters. The bond measure would add to taxes and would be costly for citizens. Van Ness also stated that it costs $1 million for every mile of sidewalks. It is estimated that it will cost $36 million for the sidewalks. That is no small sum. In comparison, Kenmore City Hall cost $14.4 million.
Safety is one of the biggest responsibilities of the city government. Mayor David Baker told the Reporter that the city has put $12 million into the State Route 522 upgrade, in part, for safety concerns. Baker also said that he would consider supporting a bond measure for the sidewalks.
Many Reporter readers have written to the paper about traffic safety in the days after the Oct. 21 accident. Kenmore resident Sandy French wrote to the Reporter to remind her neighbors that there are some things that pedestrians need to keep in mind to stay safe while walking and driving. Many of French’s ideas are common sense things that people do not think about when they leave the house. Always walk facing oncoming traffic so you can see what is coming. Wear light colored clothing while walking at night so drivers can see you.
“I have seen and had so many close calls, especially at night when walkers and folks on bikes are virtually invisible,” French wrote.
If you go out walking a lot, buy a reflective vest to wear and not just at night.
Drivers need to use their regular headlights, not high beams, while driving in the fog or rain. If you have fog lights, use them. Drivers should also obey all the normal rules of the road, such as coming to a full stop at stop signs and crosswalks. And please, watch out for pedestrians.
Don’t let Humphrey’s death be in vain. Get involved and let your council members know if pedestrian safety is a priority for you. And if nothing else, stay alert while walking and driving, for everyone’s safety.
