College Station, TX — April 4, 2025, a pedestrian was injured in a car accident at about 10:30 p.m. on F.M. 2154/Wellborn Road.

A preliminary accident report indicates a 2020 Kia Forte was headed south on F.M. 2154 when it hit a pedestrian.

The pedestrian, a 21-year-old man whose name has not been made public, suffered serious injuries in the crash, the report states.

The Kia driver, who was not injured, is not facing any charges or citations, according to the report.

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Bryan County crash.

Commentary

When I read about a crash like this, my first thought is that I hope the injured pedestrian is receiving the care he needs and that investigators are doing everything possible to uncover exactly how the incident occurred. A pedestrian being hit by a vehicle on a roadway like F.M. 2154, particularly at night, raises important questions about visibility, road design and the actions of both parties. To truly understand what happened on Wellborn Road, we need to ask three critical questions.

First, did the authorities thoroughly investigate the crash? Determining the location of the pedestrian in relation to the roadway is critical. Was he attempting to cross at a designated crosswalk or mid-block? Was the area well-lit, and were there any signs or traffic controls in place to warn drivers of pedestrian activity? Investigators should document sightlines, lighting conditions and any physical evidence — such as skid marks or debris — that might indicate how quickly the driver reacted, if at all. Without this level of detail, it’s difficult to know whether the driver could reasonably have avoided the collision.

Second, has anyone considered whether a vehicle defect may have contributed to the crash? The 2020 Kia Forte is a relatively new model and should be equipped with pedestrian detection systems, emergency braking assistance and other advanced safety technologies. Were those systems active and functioning correctly at the time of the crash? If they failed to warn the driver or activate, that could point to a malfunction that should be identified before similar systems fail in future incidents. Likewise, investigators should confirm that the vehicle’s headlights were properly functioning and aimed to ensure maximum visibility.

Finally, has all the electronic data related to the crash been collected? The Kia likely contains an engine control module capable of storing vital pre-crash data, such as vehicle speed, throttle position, brake application and steering input. This information could help determine whether the driver attempted to slow down or swerve before impact. Surveillance footage from nearby businesses, homes or traffic cameras might also help clarify the pedestrian’s movement and the exact location of the impact. If the pedestrian had a phone or wearable device, GPS data may provide a helpful reconstruction of his path. All of this data is time-sensitive and must be preserved early in the investigation.

Crashes involving pedestrians always deserve a complete and careful investigation. A young man was seriously injured, and the questions of how visible he was, how attentive the driver was and whether the vehicle responded as it should have are far too important to leave unanswered. Only by asking the right questions and collecting all available evidence can we ensure a fair, fact-based understanding of what happened, and whether this crash could have been prevented.