[fusion_builder_container background_color=”no” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” padding_left=”0px” padding_right=”0px” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_title size=”1″ content_align=”left” style_type=”underline solid” sep_color=”#a2a4aa” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]Crosswalk Accidents[/fusion_title][fusion_text]
The old adage that “the pedestrian has the right of way” may not always be accurate and involves the interpretation of the facts and circumstances surrounding each accident to determine who truly had the legal right of way involving a pedestrian vs. vehicle accident. Nevertheless, Florida laws have specifically provided for certain safety areas which should be accorded a higher degree of yield to pedestrians who have the right to traverse across our Weston, Davie, Pembroke Pines, Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale and neighboring Broward County, Florida communities’ thoroughfares.
According to the CDC, in 2012, 4,743 pedestrians were killed in Crosswalk Accidents in the United States, and another 76,000 pedestrians were injured. This averages to one crash-related pedestrian death every 2 hours, and a pedestrian injury every 7 minutes. Pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to be killed in a car crash on each trip.
The risk of an accident is not equally spread amongst the population. Statistics show that elderly individuals, children and the alcohol-impaired are the most likely to suffer from a Crosswalk Accident.
The CDC states that pedestrian’s ages 65 and older accounted for 20% of all pedestrian deaths and an estimated 9% of all pedestrians injured in 2012. In 2012, more than 20% children between the ages of 5 and 15 who were killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians. Alcohol involvement for the driver or the pedestrian was reported in 48% of the traffic crashes that resulted in pedestrian death.
Additionally, higher vehicle speeds increase both the likelihood of a pedestrian being struck by a car and the severity of injury. Most pedestrian deaths occur in urban areas, non-intersection locations, and at night.
To reduce the risk of such accidents, it is advised that you make yourself as visible as possible and be very conscious of your surroundings. If you are out at night try to have a flashlight or visible articles of clothing. It is better to know that someone sees you than to assume. And at all times pedestrians should cross the street at a designated crosswalk or intersection.
Our society seems to be in an ever increasing race to get somewhere and it appears that our motoring society is paying less and less attention and respect for pedestrians and particularly crosswalks. Florida law makes it mandatory that a vehicle approaching a traffic-controlled intersection with a clearly demarcated crosswalk must yield to pedestrians who have the right of way. Typical is the situation of an intersection governed by a stop sign or red traffic light with a crosswalk clearly painted in the roadway.
Nevertheless, many Broward County, Fort Lauderdale and Weston area Florida drivers tend to drive straight through a crosswalk and only slow or come to a complete stop if there is another motor vehicle approaching from the cross street. This of course could spell disaster for a pedestrian, bicyclist or handicapped individual attempting to walk along the crosswalk.
If you or someone you care for has been injured due to the apparent negligence of a motorist violating the right of way of a crosswalk please consider contacting the crosswalk pedestrian accident attorneys at the Schulman Law Group by contacting us toll free at (877) 529-0444 or contact us online.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]