Amarillo, TX — September 28, 2024, a woman was injured in a car accident at about 9:15 p.m. near the intersection of North Tyler Street and Northwest 14th Avenue.
A preliminary accident report indicates a 2013 Dodge Durango hit a woman who had been walking in the road.
The pedestrian, a 59-year-old Amarillo woman whose name has not been made public, suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to authorities.
No other injuries were reported.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Potter County crash.
Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman
When I see a report like the one from Amarillo, where a woman walking in the road was struck and seriously injured by a vehicle, I immediately think about how important it is to resist jumping to conclusions. Pedestrian crashes often get simplified to questions of visibility or right-of-way, but the truth is that these incidents are frequently more complicated than they appear. That’s why we need to ask three essential questions in any serious crash investigation: Did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Has anyone looked into the possibility that a vehicle defect caused the crash? Has all the electronic data relating to the crash been collected?
Starting with the investigation, reports say the crash happened around 9:15 p.m. near North Tyler Street and Northwest 14th Avenue. That timeframe raises questions about visibility, street lighting and traffic flow in the area. Were there crosswalks or sidewalks nearby? Was the pedestrian in or near a designated crossing point? Did the driver have an unobstructed view, or were there visual impediments like parked cars or vegetation? These are the kinds of details that must be documented through measurements, photographs and witness statements. The completeness of this kind of work can vary significantly depending on the department and time of day, so it’s essential that the scene be thoroughly analyzed to get an accurate picture of what occurred.
Next, we have to consider the role of potential vehicle defects. The Dodge Durango involved in this crash is a 2013 model, meaning it’s more than a decade old, at an age when critical systems like headlights, brakes or electronic sensors may not be functioning optimally. If the driver struck the pedestrian because the headlights were dim or malfunctioning, or if a braking issue prevented the vehicle from stopping in time, those are mechanical failures that need to be considered. But these issues rarely come to light unless someone takes the initiative to preserve the vehicle and have it examined by qualified experts. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen, particularly in cases where the assumption is that the pedestrian being in the road ends the inquiry.
Finally, there’s the matter of electronic data. A 2013 Dodge Durango is likely equipped with an engine control module that stores data from the moments before a crash, such as vehicle speed, brake application and steering input. That data could show whether the driver attempted to stop, how fast they were going and how the vehicle responded. In addition to data from the vehicle itself, nearby surveillance cameras, traffic footage or even GPS and cell phone data may offer additional insight into the circumstances of the crash. However, unless steps are taken quickly to preserve that information, it’s often lost or overwritten.
At the end of the day, serious crashes involving pedestrians require a full and impartial review. For the woman who was injured, and for anyone else impacted by this event, the most important thing is knowing that every effort was made to uncover the truth. That starts by asking the right questions and making sure all available evidence — mechanical, digital and physical — is accounted for. Only then can the victim and her family begin to understand what really happened.
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