Pedestrian accidents are some of the most dangerous types of personal injury accidents. This is due to the fact that unlike a car accident, where the passengers of each involved vehicle are typically wearing seat belts, or have air bags that deploy in order to help protect them in the event of an accident, there is nothing to protect a pedestrian in a similar situation. Although there are some who would beg to differ, speed is not necessarily a major factor when it comes to pedestrian accidents, as even a vehicle traveling at a relatively low rate of speed is capable of causing catastrophic and life-threatening injuries to a pedestrian.
According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an average of 13 pedestrians die in motor vehicle-related accidents each and every day. Although pedestrian accidents are apparently on a downtrend, pedestrian accident fatalities still account for nearly 12% of all crash-related fatalities. Close to two-thirds of all pedestrian accident fatalities take place in urban areas and more than three-fourths of all pedestrian fatalities occurred at non-intersections. The state of Maryland has an average pedestrian fatality rate, per 100,000 population, of 1.9. The most dangerous hours of the day for pedestrians, in terms of pedestrian fatalities, is between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight, however the most likely time of day to be involved in a pedestrian accident is between the hours of 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Reports show that January 1st and October 31st are traditionally the most deadly days of the year for pedestrians, as there are a significantly higher number of pedestrians out on the streets on these days. Children, under the age of 16, are listed as the most likely victims of pedestrian accidents and individuals, over the age of 64, have been shown to be the most likely to be killed in a pedestrian accident.
While there are safety precautions pedestrians can take such as wearing light-colored or reflective clothing (especially when walking at night), crossing only at well-lit intersections and crosswalks, obeying all posted traffic signs and signals, and walking with others, pedestrian accidents are still a very real danger capable of causing severe and life-altering injuries. A pedestrian can obey all the laws, and take any number of given safety precautions, yet still find themselves the victim of a pedestrian accident.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident in Frederick, or the surrounding area, we strongly recommend you contact The Law Office of John R. Discavage, P.A. and speak to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Our firm understands how painful a pedestrian accident can be, not only to the victim themselves, but to their family as well. That is why, when you contact Mr. Discavage, he will take the time to review your case, answer any questions you may have, advise you of your legal rights and provide you with the aggressive representation you need to help protect your rights and interests.
As the victim of a pedestrian accident, you owe it to yourself to contact a Frederick personal injury lawyer at our firm today in order to take advantage of our free consultation and case evaluation.