The amount of pedestrians injured or killed as the result of a vehicular accident each year is enormous. Even when pedestrians use crosswalks and sidewalks, they are in danger of serious injury or death, often at the hands of careless or distracted drivers. For instance, a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that 4,700 people were killed in pedestrian related traffic accidents in 2013, with another 150,000 suffering some form of injury.
Unfortunately, pedestrian fatalities have continued to rise since then; there were 5,376 pedestrian accident deaths reported in the United States in 2015. Many of the victims happen to be children. The troubling number of pedestrian deaths has lawmakers and safety regulators searching for new and improved ways to prevent these tragic incidents.
Recently, a pedestrian was struck and killed in a hit and run accident in Tampa, Florida. The crash occurred in the early morning hours when a commercial dump truck hit a pedestrian who was walking down the street around 5:40 a.m. After striking the pedestrian, the trucker fled the scene. Witnesses assisted Tampa police in describing the trucker, and police were able to use that information to find and arrest him shortly thereafter.
In order to adequately combat pedestrian traffic accidents, it is important to evaluate the numbers. The same NHTSA study mentioned above found that roughly 73% of pedestrian accidents occurred in urban areas, and 69% occurred at non-intersections. This data suggests pedestrian accidents occur more often where there are more people walking the streets (urban areas) and occur more frequently when pedestrians fail to use a crosswalk. It should come as no surprise, then, that most pedestrian accidents occur when visibility is the lowest, such as between the hours of 6 p.m. through midnight.
Many other key findings and statistics were detailed by the NHTSA in their 2014 Traffic Safety Facts study, including factors such as environmental characteristics, age, gender, and alcohol impairment. Here are just a few statistics. The average age of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents was 47. Almost 70% of those killed were males. Approximately 14% of fatal pedestrian accidents involved a drunk driver. Of the mountain of facts presented by the NHTSA, one thing is glaringly obvious, that pedestrian accidents are too common and can be prevented by being cautious and paying attention to one’s surroundings.
Fatalities from pedestrian accidents accounted for over 15% of all traffic fatalities in 2014, and 18% in 2015. Pedestrian safety is a top priority of the United States Department of Transportation. Part of their plan, coupled with the Federal Highway Administration, is to raise awareness about traffic safety, with a focus of pedestrian accidents.
If you have been hurt in an 18 wheeler crash in Tennessee, call the lawyers at Nahon, Saharovich & Trotz today. Our firm understands the rules of the road and trucking regulations that all drivers must abide by when operating their vehicles on Tennessee interstates and roads. Victims of pedestrian accidents face the risk of permanent injuries. Traumatic injuries are likely to occur when a car or large commercial truck comes into contact with the human body because the body has a hard time bracing for and defending against the heavy impact. These injuries may include broken bones or more severe conditions that require immediate hospitalization, surgery, and possibly months and months of physical therapy and rehabilitation. For pedestrians who sustain significant injuries, long term treatment may be needed.