Police Renew Call for Caution After Two Pedestrians Are Struck

Fort Lee police are once again urging caution after yet another pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in the borough Friday afternoon.

The accident, in which the pedestrian suffered only a broken ankle, and neither the driver nor the pedestrian were issued summonses, was the second time last week a driver collided with someone who was walking, the third time such an incident occurred in two weeks and the fifth time in Fort Lee since February, according to police.

The latest vehicle-pedestrian accident happened Friday at about 2:30 p.m. near at the intersection of Anderson Avenue and Plateau Avenue.

The pedestrian, whom police identified as a 64-year-old Fairview man, was crossing westbound in the crosswalk on Anderson Avenue when he was hit by a vehicle driven by a 45-year-old Fort Lee man, according to police.

The driver told police he was making a left turn from Plateau onto Anderson after looking both ways when he hit the other man, whom he said he didn’t see coming until it was too late.

The injured pedestrian was taken to Palisades Medical Center, where he was treated for what turned out to be a broken ankle, police said.

Fort Lee Police Chief Thomas O. Ripoli said that while the accident Friday turned out to be relatively minor, it underscored an ongoing problem in the borough.

“We’re working on this very heavily,” Ripoli said. “We’re getting the word out; we’re giving summonses to pedestrians; we’re giving summonses to drivers; we’re giving out warnings—the whole bit.”

But, he said, accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians continue to happen, and it’s something that has police concerned.

“It’s just that people have to be aware,” Ripoli said. “Drivers have to be aware. Pedestrians have to be aware. Speed has to slow down.”

He added, “It just doesn’t seem anybody is alert. [The accident Friday] happened in broad daylight at that intersection. It’s not like it was night.”

A 70-year old woman was struck by a vehicle last Tuesday crossing Fletcher Avenue toward the Linwood Plaza Mall.

Capt. Roy Bortolus of the said at the time it was the second accident at the same intersection in a week.

In February,  and ultimately died when she was hit by an SUV backing out of a driveway on Edwin Avenue. Just a day before, another  suffered after getting hit by a car while crossing Lemoine Avenue at Whiteman Street.

In March, Ripoli  in hopes of reducing the number of accidents, saying, “Simple practices adopted by those on foot can significantly decrease the chance of being involved in an accident.”

Included among Ripoli’s safety tips were “simple practices” like using crosswalks and obeying traffic lights, avoiding the use of cell phones and headphones when crossing the street, wearing bright-colored clothing or something reflective if possible and being vigilant of your surroundings when driving or crossing the street.