Woman Injured in Merced Pedestrian Accident
A female pedestrian who was dressed for Halloween was struck and injured on Halloween by a motorist as she was walking across the street with friends in Merced. Although the woman suffered injuries described as critical, she is expected to recover.
I want to extend my sympathy to the injured woman and to her friends and family with my best wishes for her speedy recovery from this traumatic experience.
What Happened
The accident happened at around 6:30 in the evening along Loughborough Drive as the woman and the people she was with were crossing the street after having attended a holiday event at Merced Mall. The Toyota Camry that struck the woman was being driven by a woman from Merced, age 72. According to a Merced police representative, the injured woman slid for a distance of around 80 feet from the impact of the collision. The driver stayed at the scene of the accident following the collision with the pedestrian, and no arrest in the incident is expected.
Injured Pedestrian Identified
The pedestrian who was struck and injured was identified as Sia Xiong, 35, and was reportedly crossing Loughborough Drive in a poorly lit area, was not at a designated crosswalk, and was dressed in dark clothing. According to her husband, many children live in the area, and a crosswalk is needed in that location. The accident injuries were initially described as life-threatening, and the patient was flown by helicopter ambulance to a hospital in Modesto for treatment.
Pedestrian Accidents
For 2015, there were 88 reported pedestrian accidents in Merced County out of the 1,242 total. Of that number, 29 were killed by a driver who did not yield the right of way. Thirty-five of the collisions happened when the pedestrian was using a crosswalk, and 26 were due to a pedestrian crossing outside of the crosswalk. Thirty-nine of the accidents happened during daylight hours, while 29 occurred when it was dark without roadway lights. The weather did not seem to have an effect on the vast majority (87.5 percent) happening under clear conditions.
Speed as a Factor in Pedestrian Injuries
Drivers are advised not to speed when approaching pedestrian crosswalks since higher speeds are linked to more traumatic injuries such as brain injury. In fact, in many cities, a lower speed limit has correlated to fewer pedestrian accidents with less severe injuries.
Drunk Driving Linked to Higher Number of Pedestrian Accidents
Drunk driving causes more pedestrian accidents by a factor of 15 percent. However, almost 13 percent of pedestrians hurt or killed in an accident have been drinking also, according to California accident reports.
Responsibility of Drivers
Drivers must always yield to pedestrians. There are other things a driver should do to maintain pedestrian safely:
- Watch out for pedestrians in crosswalks
- Don’t race through a pedestrian crossing area
- Don’t pass another vehicle in a crosswalk
- Pay attention to the road by not driving distracted
- Don’t drink and drive
Pedestrian Responsibility
- Only cross in an authorized crosswalk
- Don’t dart out in front of cars
- Wear light or bright-colored clothing at night
- Watch for traffic even if you have the right-of-way
Merced Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Merced personal injury lawyer. If you have been involved in a pedestrian accident or if a loved one was killed due to a negligent driver, reach out to me at (209) 227-1931 in Merced County or call me at (800) 404-5400 nationwide. You can also reach me via my website, AutoAccident.com.
Since 1982, I have been aiding Merced County residents as well as those living in Northern California with catastrophic injury cases and wrongful deaths.
It helps when choosing an attorney to learn a little about his practice. Read reviews from clients and peers on Avvo, Yelp, and Google. You can get an idea about how I helped others on my settlements and verdicts page.
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Photo Credit: Pixabay, Street Crossing by Free-Photos. CC0
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