Sacramento Pedestrian Accidents Increase
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento pedestrian accident lawyer. Sacramento residents are concerned over an uptick in deadly pedestrian accidents in February. While 10 pedestrian deaths are normally recorded each year in the city, three occurred in February alone.
What Happened
On February 16, 2017, two men were killed in pedestrian accidents at different intersections in the city. The first accident occurred at about 7:17 p.m. when a 62-year-old man was crossing Marysville Boulevard where it intersects Roanoke Avenue when he was reportedly struck and killed by an SUV. The driver of the SUV remained at the scene, and according to a Sacramento police spokesperson, is cooperating.
The second pedestrian accident happened approximately 10 minutes later at 7:27 p.m. when a homeless, 61-year-old male was hit and killed while crossing North 7th and Richards Boulevard. The man was struck by two vehicles. The first driver remained at the scene, and according to police, tried to shield the man with her vehicle. The second vehicle left the accident site, and police are searching for the suspect whom they describe as an adult woman driving a four-door medium-sized sedan. The victim was taken to the hospital where he died.
On Tuesday, February 21, 2017, another fatal pedestrian accident occurred just after 8:00 p.m. at 14th Avenue and Stockton Boulevard. According to police reports, a man was crossing 14th Avenue when he was hit by an SUV. The pedestrian was taken to a nearby hospital where he died due to his injuries. The driver of the SUV remained at the scene of the accident and was cooperating with the investigation, Sacramento Police said.
Dangerous Intersections in Sacramento
According to residents, dangerous intersections are a significant problem in the city. One resident, who spoke after the Marysville Boulevard accident, said that a High Intensity Activated Crosswalk or HAWK is due to be installed at that intersection in May. This is in addition to nine other such crosswalks slated to be installed around the city. For the daughter of the man killed on Marysville Boulevard, it will happen too late for her father. Another resident said she has lobbied for this dangerous intersection to be addressed, particularly because two schools are located near the intersection.
Pedestrian Rights and Duties
A pedestrian has the right to cross a roadway or intersection safely. Drivers are obligated to give pedestrians the right-of-way. Pedestrians have the responsibility of using crosswalks if they are available and crossing when appropriate.
Hawk Beacons and City Responsibility
Cities such as Sacramento have the responsibility to make sure dangerous intersections are addressed. The installation of a HAWK beacon that stops traffic to allow pedestrians to cross helps pedestrians stay safe. While several methods can be used to help ensure safety, HAWK beacons are installed to help with high-speed or wide-crossing intersections. The beacon is activated by the pedestrian, and after a series of blinking yellow lights, a red beacon tells drivers to stop, allowing pedestrians to cross.
Pedestrian accidents are common.
Who Is to Blame in a Pedestrian Accident
When someone is injured or killed in a pedestrian accident, it is necessary to determine who is at fault. If the accident involved a hit-and-run driver, the duty to allow pedestrians to cross safely is compounded by a driver’s responsibility to remain at the scene in a roadway crash. Drivers are obligated to be vigilant for pedestrians and stop at crosswalks.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 5,000 pedestrians are killed yearly. In 2012, 76,000 were injured in such accidents. Driver negligence can be due to several factors, including:
- Not obeying traffic signals
- Not yielding the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway
- Not signaling when turning
- Not obeying speed limits
- Distracted driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Layers of Negligence
There are many layers of negligence when discussing a pedestrian accident. The driver who proceeds through an intersection and strikes a pedestrian is negligent. Shared negligence might exist if pedestrians cross against traffic or dart in front of vehicles. The city or town might also be considered negligent if repeated accidents occur at a particular intersection, and the city fails to take note of this and does not put in crossing devices.
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Attorney Ed Smith
Sacramento Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Pedestrian accident lawyer. If someone in your family has been injured or killed in a pedestrian accident, please give me a call at 916-921-6400 or toll free at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice.
I’ve been working for clients since 1982, getting them the compensation they deserve.
Please take the time to read my reviews from clients and my peers on: Avvo, Yelp and Google.
I am a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Lawyers in this group have obtained settlements and verdicts in excess of one million dollars.
Please look at our Verdicts and Settlements page to see cases I have resolved.
I founded my website www.autoaccident.com, and I urge you to check it out for more information.
Pictures:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TorontoEMSactionshot.JPG ambulance
https://pixabay.com/en/buildings-city-crossing-1838418/ crosswalk
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