Pedestrian Crash Attorney

Pedestrian Crash Attorney

Pedestrian crashes:

Over 70,000 pedestrians become injured or killed as a result of traffic crashes every year. Pedestrian safety is a topic that can be easily overlooked, however, society needs to remain conscious of the increasing danger posed by distracting technologies like smartphones, mp3 players and more.

If you are a pedestrian who was injured in a traffic crash, then you may be entitled to recover damages for the injuries that you have suffered. A personal injury lawyer can meet with you to calculate the total damages that may be available in your case. It is also important to understand the statistics behind pedestrian crashes in the U.S. and Illinois to know that you are not alone. Unfortunately, pedestrian crashes are becoming more common every year.

2012 Statistics: Pedestrian Crashes in the United States

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts research studies on pedestrian crashes every year. For 2010, the CDC found that 4,280 pedestrians were killed as a result of traffic crashes in the U.S. This amounts to the death of one pedestrian in a traffic crash every two hours. The CDC also tracked these trends in the pedestrian crashes occurring on a national level in 2010:

• Elderly adults were more likely to be involved in pedestrian crashes than younger children
• People age 65 and older were involved in 19 percent of all deadly pedestrian crashes.
• 11 percent of pedestrians injured were people age 65 and older
• One in every five children involved in a pedestrian crash was killed
• Intoxication accounted for 47 percent of all traffic crashes involving pedestrian deaths in 2010
• 33 percent of pedestrians were found to have a BAC of over 0.08 in deadly pedestrian crashes

Due to these troubling statistics, the CDC has powered up its efforts to curb pedestrian crashes in the U.S. through its education programs and research. In addition, the CDC offers tips that pedestrians can use to prevent their risk of being injured in a pedestrian crash. The CDC recommends that pedestrians do the following:

• Carry a flashlight at night
• Wear bright or reflective clothing to increase visibility
• Cross the street at designated crosswalks and avoid jay-walking
• Walk on a sidewalk if one is available
• If one does not have access to a sidewalk, then he or she should walk against traffic rather than with it

Following these tips may decrease the likelihood that one is injured or dies as a result of involvement in a pedestrian crash. These simple tips can be life-saving measures that help pedestrians and ultimately reduce the tragic death rate of pedestrians in the U.S.

Pedestrian deaths in Chicago have risen over the last five years, up to 46 fatalities in 2017 compared with 27 in 2013, the city’s Transportation Department said Wednesday. Most of the deaths occurred in neighborhoods on the South and West sides. Chicago saw 44 pedestrian deaths in 2016, down slightly from the 46 reported a year earlier.

Most of the deaths occurred in neighborhoods on the South and West sides. The overall increase echoes a national trend of higher pedestrian fatalities in recent years, which safety experts say could be the result of more vehicles on the roads, high vehicle speeds and electronic distractions for both drivers and walkers.

Distractions Causing Pedestrian Crashes

There can be many types of causes that account for pedestrian crash rates in Illinois and the U.S. Understanding what can cause pedestrian crash rates may help a person to avoid being the victim in one of these serious crashes. Some pedestrian crashes result from technology distractions used by a driver or pedestrian at the time preceding the crash.

A pedestrian may be listening to music on an iPod or text messaging on a smartphone when he or she is suddenly sideswiped by a car. A driver may also be using a smartphone or listening to loud music when he or she hits a pedestrian. It is also not uncommon for drivers to get into crashes while changing music on an iPod or other mp3 device.

Other types of causes that frequently account for pedestrian crashes include the following:

• Pedestrian is struck while walking in a parking lot
• Pedestrian is struck while jay-walking
• Pedestrian is stuck upon entering a driver’s vision of view with little time for the driver to respond
• Pedestrian is jogging or walking along the side of the road and hit
• Pedestrian is hit by a vehicle backing up
• Pedestrian is hit while a vehicle is turning at a corner

Driving distracted accounts for the majority of these pedestrian crashes. In addition, there are other factors that can also make it more likely that a driver may be at risk for hitting a pedestrian on the road. Poor construction of sidewalks or roads may make it easier for cars to hit pedestrians.

Sidewalks that are in disrepair may discourage pedestrians from using them. In addition, an increasing elderly population may also account for the significant number of pedestrians injured in crashes every year. As the baby boomers continue to drive and make up a large part of the U.S. population, it is possible that these elderly drivers may simply not be aware of others on the road due to poor vision, poor hearing or inability to react quickly.

Lastly, a lack of educational programs for cyclists and pedestrians may also account for the shocking statistics as to the pedestrian deaths caused in Illinois every year. A greater effort must be made to teach pedestrians about safe ways to use sidewalks or navigate through busy intersections. Pedestrians should be aware of the meaning of all traffic signals so they are not harmed.