EXETER - A woman crossing Hampton Road on her way to work was seriously injured after she was struck by a car, police said.

The accident occurred just before 9 a.m. Wednesday in the area of the crosswalk near the Exeter Recreation Center.

Police Chief Richard Kane said the victim was either in or close to the crosswalk when she was hit by a 59-year-old Hampton woman driving a Ford Crown Victoria eastbound on Hampton Road.

The victim landed on the side of the road, about 90 feet from the crosswalk, Kane said.

Kane said solar glare could be a factor in the crash, but police will look at other possible causes as well, including speed.

The driver, who pulled off to the side of the road, was shaken by the accident. She had a blanket wrapped around her and could be heard sobbing as she was consoled by a man and police officers.

Kane said the victim had parked at the Exeter Recreation Center and was crossing the street on her way to work. He wasn’t sure where she worked, but there is a chiropractic clinic and several medical offices along Hampton Road.

The victim was treated at the scene by Exeter paramedics and was transported to Exeter Hospital. Her condition wasn’t known.

“There is definitely serious bodily injury. It was mostly to her lower extremities,” Kane said.

The driver wasn’t injured. Her car sustained damage to the grill.

Exeter police remained on the scene at 10 a.m. as they continued to investigate the accident with assistance from state police. They were seen examining two shoes that sat in the middle of the road and a pile of blankets on the side of the road that were being carried by the victim at the time, Kane said.

jschreiber@newstote.com