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This pedestrian accident FAQ from the Colorado Springs attorneys of the Green Law Firm, P.C., answers common questions that injured pedestrians often have.
When a collision occurs between an automobile and a pedestrian, more often than not, the results are devastating.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pedestrians are one and a half times more likely to be killed in a collision than vehicle passengers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pedestrian Accidents
In the United States in 2012, 4,743 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents, and another 76,000 were seriously injured. These numbers average out to one crash-related pedestrian death every two hours and a pedestrian injury every seven minutes.
The majority fatal pedestrian accidents occur in males, aged 25-44. Other than this group, those pedestrians who are most at risk are the elderly and children. Pedestrians who were 65 and older accounted for more than 20% of all pedestrian deaths in 2012, while more than one in five children between 5 and 15 who were fatally injured in a traffic crash were pedestrians.
Most pedestrian injuries occur between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. with a peak between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Pedestrian fatalities on the other hand, usually occur at night. Most pedestrian-vehicle crashes occur on Friday or Saturday, with the fewest amount of pedestrian accidents occurring on Sunday. Seventy-four percent of pedestrian-vehicle crashes occur in areas where there is little or no traffic control. Most pedestrian deaths occur in urban areas, and, somewhat surprisingly, do not occur in intersections.
Pedestrian injuries are most often serious, taking into consideration a 150 pound human body being hit by 3,000 pounds of steel and glass. Broken or fractured limbs, spinal injuries and traumatic brain injuries are the most common types of injuries. Spinal injuries can result in severe pain, loss of some mobility or paralysis. Traumatic brain injuries can be severe and life-altering, affecting every aspect of the injured person’s life.
Drivers who strike jaywalking pedestrians may still be at fault. While pedestrians must exercise reasonable care for their own safety, there are multiple factors which will influence who is at fault for a pedestrian-automobile accident. The outcome of your case will depend on a careful analysis of the facts surrounding your accident. The sooner these facts can be determined, the better. As time passes, witnesses disappear or their memories of the accident fade.
If you are unable to work after your pedestrian accident, your attorney will need to consider this carefully before you accept any settlement the insurance company may offer. You will need to be compensated for any lost time from work, as well as the loss of future earnings.