Riverside Pedestrian Accident When You Are in Need
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In many California counties, there are many dangers for pedestrians, where accidents happen all the time. With a tremendous amount of highways, intersections, and more, there are fewer safety zones for pedestrians, especially when drivers tend to drive distracted and more. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,280 pedestrians died in traffic crashes in 2010. Each year, when thousands of pedestrians are injured, they make their claims against liable parties, leading to hundreds of thousands in injury damages.
How Can Pedestrian Accidents be Avoided?
In California, safety laws are taken into consideration, as these accidents must be avoided in every event. The reason? Pedestrians are not protected from the elements like other drivers. When vehicles crash into one another, they have the protection of their vehicles to sometimes give them a layer of added protection. However, pedestrians do not have these same protections, as it is just skin against metal in an accident where a vehicle hits someone who is walking along.
Vehicle drivers are conditioned to watch for pedestrians. Pedestrians are constantly walking across streets without looking both ways, and children sometimes run out into roadways so that they can grab something that flew onto the road, such as a ball or another item. In these cases, drivers are told to drive defensively and always keep their eyes on the road to avoid these horrific accidents at all costs. Here are some of the ways that drivers can avoid pedestrian accidents:
- Staying aware of all surroundings and being free of distractions in their vehicle
- Being careful to avoid people on bikes, skateboards, and other recreational vehicles that may have problems stopping at intersections
- Looking out for pedestrians who are not watching the roadways because they are distracted by headphones and cellphones
- Paying attention to those who may not notice vehicles, such as children and the elderly
- Giving pedestrians the right of way
If You Have Been Injured
You may be able to hold a party liable if they are proven negligent in your case. It is a safety law for drivers to pay attention to pedestrians on the roads and abide by the laws that keep them safe. If you are a pedestrian who has been hit by a driver in Riverside County, you may be able to recover your damages. This includes aspects like medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. In the case where a pedestrian has been killed due to a negligent driver, dependents can sue for a wrongful death claim, which will cover aspects like lost income and funeral expenses.
Most pedestrian accidents are the fault of the driver since drivers are always supposed to keep their eyes on the road and pay attention to everything going on around them. In the end, these accidents boil down to negligence like being distracted instead of paying attention to the roads, speeding, and more.
You may find that these accident cases can become extremely complex, with many laws dictating negligence. This is why it is a good idea to have an experienced pedestrian attorney on your side. At the Los Angeles Injury Group, we want to help you gain the best results in your case. If you want to recover your damages after you have been injured, call us today at 310-954-7248.
Sources:
https://www.justia.com/injury/motor-vehicle-accidents/pedestrian-accidents/