An Alarming Spike in Pedestrian Accidents

 Posted on April 27, 2022 in Personal Injury

National statistics reveal that there has been a significant increase each year in the number of pedestrian accidents that occur across the country. There has also been a rise in the number of pedestrian fatalities, as well. In 2020, more than 6,500 victims were killed in pedestrian accidents, an increase of almost 5 percent from the year before. What makes these numbers even more concerning is that the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was down by more than 13 percent from the year before due to the pandemic.

Although everyone is at risk of being a pedestrian accident victim, multiple studies have found that there are certain factors that cause that risk to spike. Knowing what those factors are can help you to protect yourself from being a victim. The following are the most common factors.

Age

Both older adults and children are most at risk of being hit by a vehicle. Tragically, one in five children younger than 14 years of age who were killed in auto accidents was a pedestrian. And for the past five years, 20 percent of pedestrian accident victims who were killed were 65 years of age or older.

Where

Where you walk can also put you at risk, especially if you are walking in an area where vehicles are traveling at high speeds, such as near an interstate. Not only are you more at risk of being hit, but injuries may be more severe because of how fast the vehicle is traveling when it strikes the victim.

When

If you are walking after the sun sets in areas where there are no intersections, you are actually more at risk of being hit than a person who is walking at a busy intersection in the city during the day. The darker it gets, the higher the risk.

How

We all know that we should not drink and drive, however, walking while intoxicated can be just as fatal. The federal government reports that about 35 percent of all fatal pedestrian accident victims had blood alcohol concentration (BAC) higher than the legal limit of .08. When a person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, their reaction time is much slower, their judgment is impaired, and they are putting themselves at significant risk of being hit by a vehicle should they decide to go walking.

Contact a Metro New York Area Injury Lawyer

If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, you may be entitled to damages for the losses you suffer because of those injuries. Call Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara, LLC today at 203-661-6000 to schedule a free consultation with one of our dedicated Greenwich, CT pedestrian accident attorneys and find out what legal recourse you may have against the driver who hit you.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/pedestrian_safety/index.html

https://www.ghsa.org/resources/news-releases/GHSA/Ped-Spotlight-Addendum21