Where Do Pedestrian Accidents Occur the Most?

Importance of Hiring a Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles

If you are a pedestrian within a large urban area, you may consider yourself to be an endangered species, especially if you are in California. Based on data from the Governors Highway Safety Association, California and three other states account for almost 43 percent of pedestrian fatalities across the United States. A staggering figure, it indicates you should take every precaution possible when walking in and around a city. Yet even when all safety measures are taken, a negligent and careless person behind the wheel of a vehicle or even riding a bike can cause you catastrophic injuries that may be life-changing. Should you be a victim of one of these accidents, meet with a Los Angeles injury attorney from Grey Law to discuss what to do next.

Pedestrian Accidents

As for where pedestrian accidents and fatalities occur the most, this would be non-intersections within a city. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, over 70 percent of fatalities took place in these settings in 2012. In most cases, pedestrians were injured or killed while jogging, walking, or simply standing around in an area. While you may think many accidents take place when weather conditions are poor, the opposite is true. Based on this report, only 11 percent of accidents happened in conditions where rain, fog, or snow and ice were present. If you need legal representation after being involved in such an accident, never hesitate to contact a Los Angeles pedestrian accident lawyer at Grey Law.

Pedestrians At-Fault for the Accident

In many of these accidents where serious injuries or fatalities occur, investigations often conclude the pedestrian was at-fault for the accident. Because of this, you should always hire a pedestrian accident compensation lawyer who Los Angeles accident victims trust to defend them in such situations, such as an experienced attorney from Grey Law. By doing so, evidence can be carefully examined from the accident, and you can also discuss the details of your accident in greater detail. Should police who investigate the accident believe you were at fault, you will need a skilled lawyer representing you to ensure insurance companies are held accountable and made to provide you the compensation you need to cover your damages.

Daytime or After Dark?

As expected, many pedestrian accidents occur after sunset when areas become much darker. In most accidents, the time of the accident was between 6 p.m and 5:59 a.m. the next morning. Along with pedestrians being more difficult to see as they walk or run near a road, many drivers may also be drowsy or impaired while behind the wheel. Thus, when you are hit by a driver as a pedestrian, never let police and insurance companies automatically lay blame for the accident at your feet. Since there may be many other factors at play that contributed to the accident, hire a hit and run accident lawyer who LA residents appreciate for the track record of success in these cases, such as attorneys at Grey Law.

Negligence and Carelessness

When many pedestrians are struck by vehicles, it is clearly due to the negligence and carelessness of the driver. In fact, many accidents happen because drivers run off the road and strike innocent pedestrians who were doing nothing wrong at the time. Whether a driver fell asleep behind the wheel, was distracted due to talking or texting on a cellphone, or was impaired from drugs or alcohol, it only takes a split-second of negligence and carelessness for a pedestrian’s life to be forever changed. If you or a loved one were dealt life-altering injuries due to another person’s negligent acts and need an attorney for getting hit by a car, schedule an immediate meeting with attorneys at Grey Law.

Preventing an Accident

While you may not have control over what a driver may or may not do while behind the wheel of their vehicle, you can take certain precautions to decrease the chances you will be involved in such an accident. To begin with, always use crosswalks and sidewalks when they are nearby. By doing so, you lessen the chances insurance companies will be able to place liability on you for the accident. Also, if you are walking or running at night, always choose to wear reflective clothing and carry a flashlight with you at all times. If you take these measures and are struck, a motorist will not be able to defend themselves by saying they could not see you in the dark. To ensure you have the best legal advice from start to finish during your case, hire a Los Angeles personal injury attorney from Grey Law to assist you and your family.

Hit and Run Accidents

Many times when pedestrians are struck and severely injured by motorists, the driver of the vehicle will not stop and stay at the accident scene. Instead, they may turn around or simply continue driving forward, leaving you there to suffer needlessly with what may be life-threatening injuries. If this happens, it is important to know the driver can and will be charged with hit and run, even if you as the pedestrian are deemed by police and courts to have contributed to the accident. If the accident took place after dark, many drivers will claim they not only did not see you, but did not even know they had struck a person with their vehicle. Rather than let such defenses go unchecked and cost you substantial compensation to pay for your medical bills and related expenses, let a Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorney from Grey Law assist you in winning your case.

When you are seeking a lawyer for pedestrians in Los Angeles, hire Grey Law. As a pedestrian hit and run accident law firm who Los Angeles victims know they can count on for expert legal representation, Grey Law can give you expert advice and effective representation each step of the way. If you need to schedule a consultation with lawyers for getting car accidents, contact Grey Law today.