Sacramento Resident in Induced Coma After Pedestrian Accident
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento pedestrian accident lawyer. An intersection accident in Sacramento’s downtown area has left a young man in a coma, and neighbors in this midtown area are questioning why it had to happen.
What Happened
The accident occurred on September 28 at approximately 1:10 in the afternoon, when Arkadiy Yaslynsky, 24, an area resident, was attempting to cross 20th Street where it intersects with F Street. The driver of the truck that struck the young man remained at the scene. There is no information as to why the accident happened at this time.
Injuries Due to the Accident
According to reports, Yaslynsky was transported to the medical center at UC Davis where a CT scan showed a skull fracture, necessitating brain surgery to accommodate swelling of the brain associated with this type of injury. The young man has been placed in an induced coma to allow the brain to heal. According to his girlfriend, he will be kept in the coma for two weeks. He is expected to undergo additional surgery and rehabilitative therapy. A support page has been set up to help with medical expenses.
Outcry Over the Intersection
Neighbors and business people alike have said that many accidents happen at the intersection due to motorists’ flagrant disregard for stop signs. According to neighbors, cars rush through the intersection without stopping at stop signs. Steve Hansen, a Sacramento City Councilman, who was acquainted with the victim, said he feels more can be done to make this intersection safe and has asked that city staff look into it. He mentioned the possibility of installing pedestrian islands.
Sacramento’s Intersection Problems
Intersections in Sacramento have been a source of danger to pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, ranking second out of all cities in California. Over the period January 2016 through December 2016, 105 pedestrian collisions occurred with a total of two pedestrians killed and 107 injured. Of those injured, 12.38 percent or 13 pedestrians were severely injured. Of all types of collisions, pedestrian accidents accounted for 41.43 percent. Some of the reasons the accidents occurred were :
- 55.24 percent of drivers did not yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk
- Failure to stop at a sign or light or at crosswalk
- Not signaling when turning
- Unsafe speed
- Passing another vehicle at a crosswalk waiting for a pedestrian to cross
Only a small fraction of accidents were due to pedestrian violations such as entering a crosswalk when vehicles were already there.
Sacramento County
Sacramento County also has a reputation for dangerous intersections with 404 pedestrian accidents in 2014, the last year for which data is available. Of the pedestrians injured or killed, 60 were under 15 years of age and 48 were 65 or older.
Why Are Intersections so Dangerous?
With over 43 percent of all accidents nationwide happening at intersections, it is important to know what risks lead to this number.
- Intersections are places where traffic traveling in different directions, including pedestrian, motor vehicle and bicycles, converges.
- A significant number of different maneuvers, such as turning or crossing, happen at an intersection.
- Driver error and reckless driving play the biggest role in intersection accidents.
- In cities, not stopping at a traffic light and a stop sign are major reasons for intersection accidents.
- Driver distraction causes collisions.
- Tailgating leads to rear end accidents.
- Hitting extended vehicles, such as trucks, without lights on the side end in crashes.
- Poor visibility makes it hard to visualize traffic.
- Badly designed intersections can cause accidents.
- Bad roadway surface leads to problems with navigation.
- Failure of intersection lights or other devices can cause accidents. The city or other government entity responsible for them may be partially at fault.
Sacramento Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento pedestrian accident lawyer. If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident or if a family member was killed in one, I am available to provide free and friendly advice about what to do and your options going forward.
I have assisted many Sacramento residents and Californians as an injury attorney in other parts of the state when they have suffered a wrongful death or a traumatic injury such as brain injury. Since 1982, I have fought to ensure that the maximum recovery was reached during the client’s financially difficult time. I am a California member of a group, Million Dollar Advocates, that allows only those attorneys nationwide who have won $1 million for clients.
When you are looking for an accident lawyer, you want to know as much as you can about his or her practice. Review comments about my practice at Google, Avvo and Yelp. If you want to know what I’ve won for a variety of clients, go to my verdicts and settlements page.
You are already on the website I own and created, AutoAccident.com. You are welcome to look around for more information on a variety of legal topics.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/intersection-melbourne-cbd-2262239/
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