Walking is generally considered a healthy activity, and it should be. But getting around on foot can also be hazardous to your health. A pedestrian is killed every two hours on the average, and one is injured every eight minutes. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, in 2010, 4,280 pedestrians died in traffic accidents and around 70,000 were injured throughout the United States. In that same period, California saw an increase in pedestrian fatalities—from 567 in 2009 to 599 in 2010.
CATASTROPHIC INJURIES ARE COMMON IN PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS
An unprotected human body slammed into by a machine weighing several thousand pounds is likely to suffer the worst kinds of injuries. Pedestrian accident injuries often include life-changing traumatic brain injuries, paralyzing spinal cord injuries, herniated discs, shattered bones, internal organ damage, and others. Those who survive brain and spinal cord injuries are often unable to ever return to work or live independently and may be permanently dependent on others for their care.
WHY DO PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS HAPPEN?
Many pedestrian accidents happen because of driver negligence and could be prevented. Driver behaviors that cause accidents with pedestrians include
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Aggressive driving
- Speeding
- Driving when using certain prescription drugs
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Failing to stop at crosswalks
- Passing stopped school buses
- Driving too close to pedestrians on narrow roads
- Driving while overtired
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CLAIMS AGAINST NEGLIGENT DRIVERS
Any one of these common causes of injury or death to pedestrians involves negligence on the part of a driver. When you have been injured or a member of your family has been killed as a result of a driver’s negligence, you’re entitled to claim monetary compensation for your economic and non-economic losses. For the best results, you should work with a Personal injury lawyer with many years of experience pursuing pedestrian accident claims for clients.