Napa County Crosswalk Accident
On Saturday morning, July 31, 2021, a 64-year-old woman from American Canyon suffered major injuries when she was struck by a pickup truck while crossing the street within a crosswalk. She required hospitalization, according to a representative from the American Canyon Police Department.
Details of the Incident
Shortly after 9:00 a.m., the woman was crossing the street at American Canyon Road and Highway 29. She was within the crosswalk when she was struck by a 2006 Toyota Tacoma. The driver of the Tacoma had failed to see the pedestrian as he turned onto eastbound American Canyon Road from northbound Highway 29, according to police.
The pickup truck driver gave a statement to officers that he had looked from left to right at the intersection but did not see the woman in the crosswalk. The motorist did not flee the scene and was cooperative with the police investigation. As of late Sunday morning, no citations had been issued in relation to the incident. The investigation as to the cause of the incident remains open.
Pedestrian Hospitalized
The injured pedestrian was transferred to Kaiser Permanente Vacaville after first being taken to Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center. Police indicate that she suffered head trauma in the accident.
Crosswalks – A False Sense of Security?
Cities across the country have performed studies on pedestrian safety. Such studies usually involve observation of particular pedestrian crossings to observe traffic patterns and pedestrian behavior. These studies are frequently performed when an area is experiencing a high number of pedestrian accidents. Across the country, such incidents have been on the rise for a number of years.
In most urban pedestrian studies, a large number of traffic violations are observed, and citations are handed out. The conclusion from some of this research is that crosswalks may give pedestrians a false sense of security. The presence of a crosswalk may cause those that are traveling on foot to make assumptions about the way in which traffic will move that do not necessarily hold true. Many pedestrians appear to believe that cars will stop for them when they are within a crosswalk. This should be true, but often it isn’t.
California Pedestrian Law
There are a few sections of the California Vehicle Code (CVC) that apply to pedestrians and crosswalks. Section 21955 requires that pedestrians use crosswalks at intersections governed by traffic signals. Section 21950 establishes a general rule that motorists must yield to pedestrians crossing the street in a crosswalk – such pedestrians always have the right-of-way. This section requires that drivers exercise caution and slow down in order to keep pedestrians safe. This is an important section of the CVC because it establishes a legal duty for vehicle drivers to exercise due care in the interest of pedestrian safety.
Pedestrians are not absolved of all responsibility. Some actions are prohibited by the CVC. Pedestrians must not:
- Suddenly leave the curb
- Move into the immediate path of an oncoming vehicle, or
- Delay or stop traffic unnecessarily while crossing a street.
With regard to the American Canyon pedestrian accident, given the released facts and without further information, it sounds like the driver of the Tacoma will likely be financially responsible for the damages suffered by the pedestrian who was crossing the street within a crosswalk.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below focuses on pedestrian safety.
Napa Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Napa, California personal injury lawyer. Pedestrian accidents are on the rise in Northern California and across the country. They often cause severe injuries or wrongful deaths. If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, please reach out to our experienced injury lawyers for free and friendly legal advice. Our number is (707) 564-1900, or from outside the local area, use (800) 404-5400.
Photo: https://pixabay.com/vectors/pedestrian-cross-walk-street-310304/
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