Motor vehicle accidents cause enormous hardships for both injury victims and their families every year. Collisions involving cars and other vehicles can cause permanent injury and wrongful death to drivers and passengers. However, pedestrians face a unique risk because they do not benefit from the protections of being enclosed in the steel frame of a vehicle or safety equipment like seatbelts and airbags. Pedestrian accidents often result in catastrophic injuries that cause brain damage, loss of cognitive functioning, impaired mobility, paralysis and other life-altering consequences that permanently impact a pedestrian’s quality of life and ability to live independently. Because pedestrian accidents often result in especially serious consequences, our Kansas pedestrian accident attorneys have provided answers to commonly asked questions about these potentially fatal vehicle collisions in this two-part blog post.
Aren’t pedestrian accidents fairly unusual?
While many people presume that pedestrian collisions are unusual, almost 70,000 people are injured and more than 4,200 die annually in the U.S. when motor vehicles and pedestrians cross paths. Put another way, there is a person injured in a pedestrian crash every 8 minutes while a person is killed every two hours in a pedestrian accident. The lack of protection afforded to pedestrians exposes those walking, jogging and running to 1.5 times the risk of being killed in a motor vehicle collision than a vehicle occupant.
Are there certain groups of people that are most at-risk of being involved in a pedestrian crash?
Although anyone who is “hoofing it” can be the victim of a distracted, alcohol impaired or speeding driver at an intersection, there are certain populations of people that are more likely to be involved in a pedestrian crash. Kids and seniors are the age groups most likely to suffer injury or death in a pedestrian crash. During a recent twelve month period, the elderly accounted for 19 percent of all pedestrian fatalities whereas kids between the ages of 5 and 9 accounted for twenty percent of all pedestrian deaths in motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. Seniors may be more at-risk because of declining vision or hearing that impair their ability to detect approaching vehicles. They also may take longer to cross the street so that they are exposed to the risk of being hit by a driver for a longer period. Kids may lack the experience or judgment to assess the danger posed by running out into the street. Further, the ability to judge time and distance may be more limited for kids who have had less opportunity to engage in such judgments because the do not drive.
There also have been studies that reveal minorities who live in lower income areas are also more prone to being the victim of a pedestrian accident. The rationale for this increased risk is that low-income individuals are more likely to walk as a means of transportation or to need to walk to catch public transportation. Many low-income areas are also located in close proximity to busy roads with few pedestrian safety features.
Our Kansas pedestrian accident attorneys at Cummings and Cummings know that negligent drivers pose a serious hazard for those walking for exercise, transportation or recreation. If you are injured in a pedestrian collision, our dedicated team of Kansas pedestrian accident lawyers work diligently to obtain the compensation our clients need to rebuild their lives. We have over 30 years of combined litigation experience so contact us today at 316-264-1548 to learn about your rights and options.
