According to the latest statistics from the federal government, driving has become a safer activity for motorists in California. The state experienced a 45 percent decline in car accident fatalities. The good news for motorists comes at a time when the state ranks in ninth place as the deadliest place for pedestrians.
Orange County had 55 pedestrians killed as a result of car accidents last year. This year could turn out to be even more deadly for pedestrians if the current rate of people killed in an auto accident while walking along the street continues until the end of the year.
The drunk driving accident and speeding are two situations leading to serious injury or death for a pedestrian in a car collision. Surprisingly, crosswalks did not reduce the risk of an auto accident between a pedestrian and a motorist. Police investigations showed that 25 percent of people killed while crossing the street were hit while using a marked crosswalk.
Police reports of accidents in Orange and other areas of the county show that older pedestrians who walk during nighttime hours are at a higher risk than others of being injured or killed in a car collision. One reason could be the difficulty some drivers have seeing in low-light conditions. Texting and driving might also be a factor as a distracted driver may have his or her attention diverted from the road and not see a pedestrian walking, biking or running in the darkness.
If you have been injured in an Orange County car accident, you might be entitled to compensation for the personal injury you suffered. An Irvine personal injury lawyer may be able to review the factors surrounding the accident and provide with legal advice about your options.
Source: The Orange County Register, “A deadly year: In O.C., a pedestrian is struck and killed every 6 days,” Nicole Knight Shine and Alyssa Duranty, Oct. 20, 2015