Although safety is the top priority of the U.S. Department of Transportation, there is one area that is not becoming more protected. Pedestrian safety has decreased. The number of pedestrian accidents were one of the few to increase in the latest year for which statistics are available (2013), and pedestrian traffic accidents caused 4,735 deaths that year. That translates to one pedestrian death every two hours and seven minutes, all year long. Twenty percent were children. Another twenty percent were over the age of 65.
Of all traffic deaths, 14% are pedestrians. Three percent of those injured in traffic accidents are pedestrians.
The number injured that year in pedestrian accidents? 76,000.
Although pedestrian-vehicle accidents can happen in any season, seasons like autumn and winter, where there is less daylight, are particularly dangerous. Children, young adults, and their parents may be walking to school or back either when it is dark, or when it is darker than it was recently. Drivers may be inattentive or slow to adjust. Periods directly after the institution of daylight savings time (DST), which happens this year on November 6, may be particularly dangerous as everyone will be adjusting to a darker morning.
As autumn deepens, of course, people will increasingly be adjusting to an earlier night. Almost one-third of pedestrian fatalities occur between 8 p.m. and midnight.
If you are a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian-vehicle traffic accident, please keep as extensive records as possible, both of the incident and of any medical care. Take pictures if possible and keep a file of all medical bills.
If you want to talk to an attorney, please contact us at 844-Take-MyCase. You can also reach us online at www.844TakeMyCase.com. Please visit our Facebook page and like it, tell your friends about our Facebook page, and if you like, leave a message or comment on our Facebook page.
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