In March 2018, one of Uber’s experimental self-driving cars struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona. While this was the first fatal accident of its kind, many companies, including Uber, Tesla, and Google, are investing in self-driving car technology.
What Happened With the Uber Accident?
A report released recently from the National Transportation Safety Board found that pedestrian Elaine Ramos was pushing her bike across the street at night when the self-driving car struck her. The report describes how the car’s detection system detected her six seconds before it struck and killed her.
Can I sue for personal injury if I get hit by a car while inside of a building?
Some people drive to the nail salon in a panic over a broken nail. Others drive through the nail salon, causing panic and injuries in the wake of the car accident.
Apparently, it’s not enough to worry about being involved in a California pedestrian accident while walking the streets. Now, you may not even be safe once you’re inside a store.
But if you are injured due to the actions of someone else,
Jaywalking is crossing the street or roadway outside a designated crosswalk. In California, we see this everyday. As a motorist, it can be a bit annoying having to stop in the middle of the road because a pedestrian does not want to walk over to a cross walk and do things in a law-abiding manner. Sometimes, pedestrians are difficult to impossible to see until it’s too late. Should a driver be held liable for these types of accidents?
Well, the short answer is: sometimes. When a pedestrian is injured in an accident while jaywalking,
The number of pedestrian accidents in the United States has been growing in past years. It is estimated that about 5,000 people are killed each year in pedestrian accidents. 2015 data from the Governors Highway Safety Association revealed how 23% of motor vehicle deaths in California were pedestrians, a number that was far higher than the national average.
Many pedestrian accidents occur in urban areas like crosswalks, sidewalks and on city streets. Since pedestrians have little protection to ward off collisions with a bike, car, or truck,
Q: Are drivers always liable for injuries in pedestrian accidents?
In San Diego, pedestrian accident fatalities (and serious injuries) have been rising for the past three years. In fact, pedestrian accident fatalities have been rising throughout California.
The “Vision Zero” program – with a goal of eliminating all traffic deaths by 2025 “through enforcement, education, and street engineering “– is getting a black eye by San Diego’s so-called “Fatal 15” intersections. Many of these intersections– where the greatest numbers of pedestrian fatalities occur–
Did you know that California also has the highest number of pedestrian accident fatalities?
In California, drivers always have a duty to exercise reasonable care while driving so as not to injure others. Some causes of driver negligence include distracted driving, excessive speed, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and more. A driver’s duty of reasonable care is upgraded when driving in areas where children are present, such as within the vicinity of schools.
And pedestrians have a similar duty to exercise reasonable care for their own safety.
What are the most common causes of pedestrian accidents?
A recent report by Smart Growth America found the risk for pedestrian fatalities has gone up over the past two years. The report found that California had 6,616 pedestrian deaths between 2005 and 2014, placing the state at rank 17 for pedestrian risk.
Findings from the Governors Highway Safety Association back in 2015 revealed that California was well above the national average in regards to the percentage of pedestrian deaths. At the time, 23% of all motor vehicle deaths within the state were pedestrians.
Fatal pedestrian accidents are up dramatically nationwide over the five year period between 2009 and 2014, with California pedestrian accident fatalities averaging higher than the national average—sometimes much higher. In fact, Palm Springs reports pedestrian deaths quadruple the national average.
What is causing this spike in pedestrian deaths in California?
Authorities believe that there are many contributing factors to the increase in pedestrian accident fatalities including the following:
- an increase in the number of pedestrians;
- an increase in the number of homeless;
Why are pedestrian deaths on the rise?
More people are taking it to the streets, whether for walking or jogging, which is good news for the health conscious. The bad news is that pedestrian deaths are on the rise across the nation. In 2015, for example the number of pedestrian fatalities was up by 10 percent over the previous year, and there were more death in California than any other state.
There are a number of factors contributing to the surge of pedestrian accidents.
At J&Y we take all personal injury cases seriously. Those that affect pedestrians are of special concern to our staff of skilled attorneys, each of whom is dedicated to defending the rights of vulnerable victims. At J&Y we have your back, providing you with vigorous defense and obtaining the highest possible compensation to cover your medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Remember: however traumatic your pedestrian accident has been, we are here to help you through.
