Potomac resident Shanta Parimoo, 66, was killed crossing Tuckerman Lane after getting off a bus on Nov. 20.
"Every loss is a tragedy. We feel like we can't say this too often," said Lucille Baur, of Montgomery County Police. "That is what is particularly disheartening to us. We have continued efforts to educate both drivers and pedestrians on safety; it is definitely a shared responsibility between drivers and pedestrians."
Parimoo, of the 11300 block of Deborah Drive, was crossing Tuckerman Lane with her husband after getting off a Ride On bus at approximately 6:35 p.m. on Nov. 20.
She was struck by a 1995 Ford Escort LX, driven by Henrietta Blake, 66, of the 1600 block of Benning Road, N.E., Washington, D.C., that was traveling east on Tuckerman.
Parimoo died at Suburban Hospital as a result of injuries suffered during the accident. Blake remained on the scene of the accident and was not injured.
The police department's Collision Reconstruction Unit is still investigating the accident. At this time, investigators believe that Parimoo was crossing the road outside of any crosswalk, with no pedestrian signal at the scene of the collision.
Drivers have to be on the lookout, they can never assume that something or someone won't come into their path, said Baur. "What was concerning to me was they had just gotten off a Ride On bus, obviously near a place where people get on or depart a Ride On.”
Pedestrians also have the responsibility to be sure not to make choices that put their lives in jeopardy, Baur said.
Parimoo was the 16th pedestrian to be killed in Montgomery County this year. There were 14 pedestrian fatalities in 2001.