Car accidents happen with an incredible amount of frequency, but readers of this Ohio personal injury law firm may not realize just how often pedestrians become victims of vehicle crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 4,700 pedestrians were killed in accidents with vehicles in 2013.
Statistics on pedestrian accidents paint alarming picture
Man in wheelchair killed in accident
No one expects that they or their loved one will be in a serious accident on any given day. No matter how hard we try to avoid these accidents, sometimes they just occur. A fatal auto-pedestrian accident recently occurred in Cleveland that resulted in the death of a man in a wheelchair.
Representation for victims of auto-pedestrian accidents
Now that winter has finally thawed and spring is upon us in Ohio, more people may be venturing out into nature to enjoy the peace that comes with breathing fresh air. Akron residents participate in many outdoor activities, from jogging and running to bicycling and hiking, all of which give participants an opportunity to leave their vehicles behind. However, just because the individuals who do these activities are not in their cars, trucks and SUVs, does not mean that they will not confront automobiles while they are out and about.
Pedestrian accidents causes similar to those of car accidents
At the core of most accidents is negligence, and negligence occurs when someone fails to meet their duty of care to others. In Ohio, negligence-based accidents happen on the roads each and every day, and victims emerge from their incidents with a range of injuries and losses. This post will examine some of the common causes of pedestrian accidents and how they parallel causes of dangerous vehicle accidents.
Highway auto-pedestrian accidents raise difficult legal issues
Pedestrian accidents often occur in locations where cars and people commonly meet. At crosswalks and in busy retail areas, near schools and parks, as well as in parking lots and on neighborhood streets, auto-pedestrian accidents happen in those places where Ohio residents must walk and be near moving cars. However, less frequently do these tragic incidents occur on roads with higher speeds, such as highways and interstates.
Facts can play an important role in auto-pedestrian accidents
Our readers may have had this common experience: while recounting the details of a past event, they were interrupted by someone else who claims that the occurrence happened in a different way. Two people who were both present when the event occurred may have two varying recollections of how the event unfolded. This situation often happens when individuals are asked to recall how and why an automobile accident happened.
Alarming statistics regarding auto-pedestrian accidents
Pedestrian accidents are dangerous and often result in fatalities due to the relative strength and size of the vehicles that hit the smaller, unprotected victims. There are some alarming statistics about auto-pedestrian accidents in America that have been put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kids are common victims in pedestrian accidents
One of the best parts of being a kid is having the free time to run, play and generally experience a good time with one's friends and siblings. In Ohio, it is not uncommon to see groups of children sledding down hills in the winter, playing sports in the summer and just hanging out together any time of the year. Children know how to have a good time, and in some cases their enthusiasm for getting where they want to go overrides their developing senses of patience and responsibility. These factors can put them at risk for putting themselves in to dangerous situations.
Common elements in an auto-pedestrian accident case
A collision between a vehicle and an Akron resident can be devastating. While some victims may fully recover from their ordeals, others may live with the injuries they suffer in the accident for the rest of their lives. It is important to understand the elements of proof that an auto-pedestrian accident victim must plead and demonstrate in order to be successful in their plight for damages for their accident-related expenses.
Getting the right help after a devastating pedestrian accident
Just as cars and trucks must obey the rules of the road, pedestrians too must follow certain regulations that are intended to keep everyone on the roads safe. They must cross the streets in crosswalks, wait for traffic signals to grant them safe access to roads and must use caution when traversing throughways that are not regulated by pedestrian safety measures.
