Many people in California enjoy walking for recreation, health, and simply as an environmentally friendly way to get where they want to go. While walking is healthy, pedestrians are much likelier to be catastrophically injured or killed in accidents with motor vehicles. Unfortunately, motorists sometimes fail to stop at crosswalks or unmarked intersections for pedestrians who are crossing the streets. They might also fail to notice children and pedestrians on the sidewalks who might step out into the streets. Cities may not have good walking facilities to keep pedestrians separated from traffic, leading to an increased risk of pedestrian accidents. If you have suffered serious injuries in a pedestrian accident or have lost your loved one, talk to an experienced pedestrian accident lawyer Palo Alto at the San Jose Personal Injury Attorneys. We believe that people who have suffered harm because of the negligence of others deserve to receive compensation for all of their losses.
Pedestrian accident statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pedestrian fatalities have been increasing, reaching the highest number of deaths in 2018 since 1990. During that year, 6,238 pedestrians were killed in accidents in the U.S. This number translates as one pedestrian dying in an accident every 88 minutes.
The California Office of Traffic Safety reports that the pedestrian accident fatality rate in the state is 30 times higher than the national average. From 2006 to 2016, more than 14,000 pedestrians in California were injured, and 8,000 were killed.