Research into various kinds of accidents is constantly being conducted by government agencies and independent groups to determine why they happen and how they can be reduced or prevented. Pedestrian accidents are prominent in these studies. In Ohio, the number of pedestrians who are killed in a car accident ranks just beyond the middle for the U.S. Even that is too many. Understanding the demographics and reasons why these incidents occur is fine, but those who have already had a loved one suffer catastrophic injuries and die as a car accident victim while walking should be aware of the numbers so they can consider a legal claim for compensation.
There are more than 4,600 people who die in a pedestrian accident with a car on an annual basis. A report from the National Complete Street Coalition entitled “Dangerous by Design” states that every day, 13 people are a car accident victim as a pedestrian. The most common victims are the elderly and people of color. Ohio is ranked 27th in the nation for number of pedestrians killed with just below 1,000 for the decade between 2005 and 2014. This particular report asserts that poorly designed streets are why there are this number of deaths. Many happen on streets in which vehicles are moving at a rapid pace and there are limited available safe areas for pedestrians to walk.
The number of non-white people who die in a pedestrian accident is 46.1 percent while only 34.9 percent of the entire U.S. population is non-white. More than half of the pedestrian deaths happened on roads that are called “arterial” meaning they are created for width and speed. More than 40 percent of the pedestrian deaths happen when there is no crosswalk. While law enforcement says that anyone who does not cross the street in a crosswalk is violating the law, the reality that there are limited places to cross in certain areas leads to people simply crossing wherever they can and running the risk of being hit.
For people who have lost a loved one who was a pedestrian and ended up being hit by a car, these studies might provide some semblance of insight into the problem. That, however, does not help them get over the emotional trauma, the financial hardship and personal loss. When there are auto accidents involving a pedestrian, a full investigation is needed to gather information for a legal filing. Speaking to an attorney can help toward this end and assist in pursuing a claim.
Source: wytv.com, “Report: Pedestrian accidents more likely in certain areas,” Abbie Schrader, Jan. 23, 2017