- Video shows Heath Corey showing where and how he was hit by a distracted driver crossing Michigan Avenue back in September.
- Heath Corey, RN at Henry Ford Jackson Hospital, expresses his concern when it comes to distracted driving in front of his place of work.
- The hospital is working closely with the city and MDOT to solve the safety issues at hand.
On September 16, Heath Corey was leaving his shift as an RN, just as he would any other day. As he was crossing the street to get to his car, next thing he knew, he was looking at the sky.
Corey explained that when the button is pushed at the crosswalk to cross Michigan Avenue, the car sitting at the light at Page Avenue gets the green light to go at the same time. When the driver of that vehicle on Page Avenue isn't paying attention, those few seconds have proven to be extremely dangerous.
Corey explained, "There's several people over the last five or six years that have been hit out here, and in every case, it's always been a distracted driver." According to Corey, the driver admitted to driving with his dog in his lap, therefore driving distracted. As a result, Corey suffered a concussion, broken tibia, and torn ligaments, ultimately needing a knee replacement surgery. A surgery on his shoulder is also on the horizon.
"It's hard to ask for help when you're used to being the one taking care of people," Corey shares. "Then, all of the sudden, you now need the help." Corey shared that he now has a flasher on his lunch pale and crosses the street wearing a reflective vest. He also shared that the hospital has given flashers out to employees to keep them safe.
"The hospital has really done a lot to keep us safe, but at the end of the day, they can spend all the money they want; they can invest all the time and effort they want to make these changes, and it's not going to do any good if people are distracted driving," explains Corey.
According to Aaron Jenkins, MDOT, they have added new pavement markings and a lane separator system. "We're also looking at adjusting signal timing and other improvements, but most of all, and most importantly, we're working closely with the hospital leadership to improve safety at that site."
In response to this issue, Emily Moorhead, President of Henry Ford Health Jackson Region shared in a statement: "The well-being of our dedicated team members and our community is our top priority. We are in close contact with the Michigan Department of Transportation and local law enforcement regarding measures that can be taken to make the intersection safer for the entire community. We urge drivers to do their part by refraining from speeding, running red lights and driving while distracted wherever they travel, but especially when pedestrians are present."
Though steps are being taken to solve this safety issue, Corey would also like to see a sky-bridge built connecting the parking lot to the hospital across the street, to keep his biggest fear from happening, losing one of his coworkers. "You hear the saying, it's not a matter of 'if' but 'when,' and it's just my fear that somebody's going to get killed."
To see what kinds of dangerous intersections other neighorhoods are facing, click: here.
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