Are people walking with less care, or are drivers driving with more distractions? The truth is incidents fluctuate. Some years seem safer than others. We could assume that because of remote working due to covid-19 precautions, fewer cars on the road would translate to fewer pedestrian accidents. Until we get the numbers, we can only speculate. Our attorneys at the Law Offices of Howard Kornberg are sure about one consistent thing: if you were hit by a car while walking, you will indeed have some injury that requires compensation.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics Show An Increase
California is known for its forward-thinking projects like adding more bike lanes to cities or creating pedestrian-centered roadways. Los Angeles is labeled as a Walker’s Paradise according to WalkScore, scoring a 93 out of 100. Surely with a focus on pedestrian safety, there would be a decrease in accidents, but that is not the case.
Recent statistics gathered from the California Office of Traffic Safety suggest that pedestrian accidents fluctuate over time. For example, there was a decrease in pedestrian accidents of 5% from 2017 to 2018, equaling 893 deaths instead of 940 in the previous year. However, if you compare the 2018 number to 2014, there is a drastic increase of 26% in accidents. Recent data shows that more than 14,000 pedestrians were injured a year. Nearly 7,500 were killed between 2009 and 2019. As pedestrian accidents fluctuate from year to year, the overarching pattern suggests that pedestrian accidents are on the rise.
5 Safety Tips for Pedestrians
Our pedestrian accident attorneys in Los Angeles understand that, like a relationship, it takes two to tango. However, when it comes to who is at fault, one may be more fault-worthy than the other. Here are 5 tips our pedestrian accident attorneys want you to know:
- Make yourself visible when walking during the day or night by wearing bright colored items or using the flashlight function on your phone.
- Use a sidewalk or crosswalk if available to avoid dangerous behaviors like jaywalking.
- Distracted walking is just as dangerous as distracted driving. Remember to pay attention while you walk to avoid any accidents.
- Look before you step off the sidewalk and into the road. Whether you are crossing the street or avoiding something on the sidewalk, a quick glance at the road can prevent a tragic accident.
- When crossing the street, always look left and right. Look both ways each time to ensure that nothing will harm you, and be careful of depth perception as cars drive toward you.
If you or a loved one is injured in a pedestrian accident, our personal injury attorneys are here to help secure compensation for coverage of medical bills, lost wages, household out-of-pocket expenses, pain and suffering damages, property damage expenses, and more. You can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling us at 310-997-0904.
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