California is known for its congested freeways that are often the scene of motor vehicle crashes. While the number of fatal car accidents has declined in the past two years, the bad news is that auto-pedestrian accidents are on the increase.
Government traffic studies report that pedestrian deaths have increased every year over the last 10 years, and for those individuals residing in urban communities, deaths have increased a startling 69%. Other studies have concluded that this trend is likely to continue in at least half of the states in the near future. Although there is no agreement among the experts on a single, primary cause of this continuing danger for pedestrians, there are several factors in the mix.
One concern cited is the recent phenomenon of street and roadway designs that prioritize the ability for cars to drive at higher speeds while ignoring pedestrian safety. Couple this with larger vehicle size, more and more incidents of driver distraction and larger numbers of pedestrians and bicycle riders and it’s not hard to see why there’s a problem. Different municipalities are weighing various options to improve the situation, including higher visibility crosswalks, restricting parking near intersections and increasing the time on traffic signals to allow pedestrians longer to cross.
Pedestrian accidents can result in catastrophic injuries that require lengthy periods of expensive medical care and treatment. In many cases, the victims are unable to return to work for prolonged periods if ever. People who have been harmed in an auto-pedestrian knockdown caused by the negligence of the driver might want to have the help of an experienced attorney when seeking compensation for their losses.