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Auto/Pedestrian
Injuries
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
4,882 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the United
States in 2001. On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic
accident every 108 seconds. An additional 78,000 people were
injured in that same year. A pedestrian is injured in a traffic
crash every 7 minutes. In 2001, about 69% of the pedestrian
fatalities occurred in urban areas. Seventy-nine (79%) of
these accidents occurred at non-intersection locations.
"More than one-fifth of the children between 5 and
9 years old killed in traffic crashes in 2001 were pedestrians."
. . . "Forty-five percent of all young pedestrian fatalities
(under 16) occurred between 3 and 7 PM." In Texas alone,
there were over 449 pedestrian fatalities. The total traffic
fatalities in this state were 3,724. See, NHTSA Traffic Safety
Facts 2001.
Pedestrians are injured in a variety of situations. Children
playing in urban areas may create a duty for motorists to
exercise reasonable care. When crossing the street in places
other than in the crosswalk or at an intersection, the pedestrian
may have to yield the right of way to oncoming cars. Illegally
parked cars that create a visual obstruction for pedestrians
may be a contributing factor in a pedestrian/automobile accident.
The driver of a vehicle may bear a greater portion of responsibility
for an accident because the consequences of driver fault present
a greater potential for causing greater havoc.
The pedestrian automobile accidents are very difficult to
evaluate without the help of an experienced lawyer. |
