Taking an evening stroll with your family, walking to work, or exploring a new city by foot can provide some of life’s simple pleasures, and can improve your health and well-being.
However, walking in areas with car traffic can be dangerous where drivers are distracted or impaired by drugs or alcohol. Too often, impaired or distracted drivers who hit pedestrians leave the scene of the accident, requiring careful investigation to identify and hold accountable the responsible driver.
Despite nationwide efforts to raise awareness surrounding pedestrian safety, particularly in school zones and pedestrian-dense areas, pedestrians are still being injured and killed by careless drivers at an alarming rate.
In 2009, 4,047 pedestrians were killed in auto-pedestrian accidents in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Of those fatalities, 74 percent were killed in non-intersection accidents. The largest number of auto-pedestrian fatalities take place between 6 pm and midnight when people are headed home from work or going to or from social outings or drinking establishments.
According to a 2002 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study, the latest statistics available, an average of 700 children per year are killed in auto-pedestrian accidents, with more than 500 of these deaths occurring in higher traffic density areas. Tens of thousands of other children are injured each year after being struck by automobiles while walking, according to the same study.
Auto-pedestrian accidents can result in some of the most devastating injuries to victims, including bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. These injuries can require long-term or even lifetime medical care rising to millions of dollars in costs to families.
Families struggling with the effects of these injuries to their loved ones often are overwhelmed with doctor’s visits, ongoing medical tests, and the challenge of maneuvering through the bureaucracy of the insurance claims process. Pedestrian accident victims and their families need and deserve experienced advocates to fight for them in holding accountable the responsible parties and secure just outcomes in their cases to protect the financial security of their family.
There are a number of potential parties responsible for auto-pedestrian accidents:
- Negligent or impaired drivers;
- Local governments, property owners, or construction companies who create confusing or dangerous conditions on sidewalks and roadways;
- Employers of drivers who are operating in the scope of their employment when they cause an auto-pedestrian accident;
- Manufacturers of automobile components if there is a defective part that may have caused the offending vehicle to involuntarily accelerate or fail to brake properly; and
- Owners of public buildings such as malls and hospitals who fail to construct barriers to protect pedestrians from careless drivers.
The Gilbert Law Group has decades of experience investigating and litigating complex motor vehicle accidents. Our nationally renowned team of investigators, engineers and attorneys will thoroughly investigate your auto-pedestrian accident case and identify all parties who should be held responsible for the injury or loss of you or your loved one.
Contact us to notify The Gilbert Law Group about your case, or call us toll free at 1-877-431-4529 to discuss your matter. All initial consultations are free.
