Pedestrian accident victims should know that they are not alone. It is a common occurrence, but you have some control over it. Even if the driver escaped, you still have legal options for pursuing monetary restitution. Pittsburgh Personal Injury Attorneys here provide all the required information about pedestrian accidents and deaths.
Take on a large insurance company with the help of an expert lawyer who will aggressively defend your interests. When a claim is filed, insurance firms tend to reduce their payments and do not meet their responsibilities. Attorneys have to hold the insurance companies (and the motorist who hit you) liable for making you whole financially in the aftermath of your accident. In the wake of an accident, far too many individuals give up and stop fighting for the just compensation they deserve. Never allow yourself to become a statistic in a pedestrian accident. You may fight for the monetary compensation you’re due with our help.
Statistics:
According to a study released in March by the Governors Highway Safety Association, pedestrian deaths in the United States have increased significantly during the COVID-19 epidemic, with minority groups being the most vulnerable.
As a result of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, data was gathered within the first few months, when many towns and states had already shuttered their businesses and telework had already decreased the number of individuals who had to travel by vehicle.
Based on newly released statistics from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), cars are expected to hit and kill more pedestrians in 2020 than they have ever done before. What was the catalyst for this increase? Speeding, drunken and drugged driving, and distracted driving were all common during the COVID-19 epidemic in the United States, as were infrastructural problems that have long favored the flow of automobiles over pedestrians and bicyclists.
According to preliminary data provided by the State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, GHSA provided a preview in March of state and national pedestrian traffic fatality rates for the first six months of 2020. (D.C.). It was noted in the study that even with fewer drivers on the road, pedestrians were still in danger of being hit and killed by a car. In the new Pedestrian Traffic Deaths by State: 2020 Preliminary Data Addendum, which was published today, preliminary data from the SHSOs gives the first look at predicted pedestrian fatalities for the whole year.
While SHSO recorded 6.412 fatalities in 2019, GHSA predicts that number would rise to 6.721 in 2020, representing a 4.8% increase. The pedestrian mortality rate in 2020 was 2.3 per billion vehicle miles traveled (VMT), up shockingly and unprecedentedly by 21 percent from 1.9 per billion VMT in 2019. This forecast represents the greatest yearly rise in pedestrian fatality rates since the establishment in 1975 of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
What Causes Pedestrian-Car Collisions?
When motorists fail to pay attention to the road, the consequences may be severe, particularly for pedestrians. Pedestrian-car collisions occur for a variety of reasons:
- The motorist was either not paying attention or using a smartphone when the accident occurred.
- Designs that fail to take into account upstream and downstream traffic flows at crosswalks
- automobiles and bicycles failing to stop for pedestrians at intersections
- Making a left turn without looking both ways at a junction
- Failure to obey traffic signs and signals, such as mandated speed limits
- the use of drugs or alcohol while behind the wheel
There are far more pedestrian accidents on city streets than on country roads, yet even on country roads, terrible things may happen. Driving at fast speeds on winding roads with poor sight is a recipe for disaster.
What Steps Can You Take to Keep Yourself and Others Safe While You are Walking?
Drivers and pedestrians share responsibilities for pedestrian safety. Pedestrians are required to observe the following safety precautions:
- Adhere to the laws of the road and pay attention to signals and signs
- Make use of available walkways whenever possible
- Walking facing oncoming traffic and maintaining as much space as possible if there is no sidewalk is recommended
- Make sure you’re always on the lookout for danger. Don’t walk with technological gadgets in your hands that divert your attention from the road
- Only use crosswalks or intersections to cross streets. It is where motorists anticipate seeing pedestrians. Look for automobiles in any direction for which you may imagine. Be very cautious while driving around corners.
- Use a lighted place where you have the greatest view of vehicles instead of a crosswalk or junction. Please wait for a lull in traffic to enable you to safely cross, and keep an eye on it while you do so.
- Never take it for granted that a motorist will notice you. Establish an effort to make eye contact with approaching motorists to ensure that they are aware of your presence.
- Wear bright clothing during the day and reflective materials or a torch at night to make oneself as noticeable as possible.
- Keep a close eye out for vehicles driving into or out of a driveway, backing up to a spot, or traversing parking lots.
- When walking, please stay away from alcohol and drugs since they affect your senses and your judgment.
Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit:
As a proportion of all traffic-related deaths, pedestrian deaths currently account for the majority of the deaths. If you’re looking to enhance pedestrian safety, don’t forget about the legal system. It may help victims get the compensation they deserve. When someone is struck by a vehicle in a crosswalk, they may have to sue the motorist to recover damages for their injuries. It would be the case even if the pedestrian were not at fault.
This kind of personal injury claim is quite common. A pedestrian who has been harmed usually brings a lawsuit to get financial compensation for their losses. As a result, the injured person must show that the driver of the vehicle was careless. After a pedestrian collision, you may ask, “How do I know whether I have a legitimate case against the other party?” The answer is that you may be entitled to compensation if any of the following applies:
- The accident resulted in your injuries, and
- This accident was not entirely your responsibility.
A collision involving a person and a car necessitates figuring out not just who’s to blame but also how much each participant bears in responsibility. Pedestrians in Pennsylvania are well-protected thanks to the state’s many right-of-way rules, which may be useful in establishing fault in an accident.
The pedestrian may be at fault if they go across a crosswalk despite a sign that reads, “Don’t Walk,” and is struck by a vehicle that is legally allowed to be driving through. When evaluating the overall degree of culpability, several variables must be considered. Drivers may be held responsible if they strike a pedestrian and fail to stop or assist the wounded person, notwithstanding their level of carelessness.
If a vehicle rear-ends a pedestrian or veers off the road and strikes a person on the side of the road or sidewalk, the pedestrian is not at fault and has solid legal grounds for a lawsuit in which financial compensation for damages may be granted to the victim.
For the ordinary individual, determining who was to blame in a walking collision may be very difficult. If you’ve ever been in a pedestrian collision, you should know that the motorist is almost always at blame.
How May a Lawyer be of Assistance?
A car collision while on foot may be traumatic. Other stresses such as chronic illnesses, traumatic experiences, or financial difficulties may swoop in on you without notice. Allow an experienced, caring legal firm to take the reins of the responsibility off your shoulders and into our competent hands. It’s alright to ask for assistance. We’re here to help you find medical experts, work with our in-house therapist, and get the finest legal counsel. You don’t have to go it alone.
Get in touch with a Pittsburgh personal injury attorney for a free consultation and our law firm will take care of the rest.
