Shocking 45% Increase In Pedestrian Fatalities
A new study has revealed a shocking 45% increase in pedestrian deaths over the past decade. The study highlights roadway design as a key cause of these fatalities, and emphasizes the need for cities to better plan their roadways to safely accommodate travel for pedestrians as well as people who use wheelchairs, scooters, and other such transportation devices. As scooters have become more prevalent in cities and highly developed areas over the last few years, including Atlanta, the number of fatalities has grown, highlighting the fact that there is not really a safe way to integrate pedestrians into a system of roads that was built to enable vehicles to travel as maximum speed as opposed to an integrative approach that emphasizes safe co-existence for various types of commuters.
Recovering for a Vehicle-Pedestrian Accident
If you are a pedestrian who was injured by a vehicle, you may be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit to recover for the harm that you have suffered. The most challenging aspect of these cases is usually identifying the responsible party, as many vehicles flee the scene of an accident when a pedestrian is involved, knowing that they can likely get away. However, it is a crime to hit a pedestrian and to flee the scene of an accident, so police may be able to locate your assailant. Security cameras, dashboard footage, and eye witness accounts may all also be used to help you locate the responsible party and hold them accountable. Once you are aware of their identity, it becomes very easy to move forward with the process of bringing a personal injury claim to recover your damages.
Even if you are unable to determine the identity of the person who hit you, a lawyer may still be able to determine alternative or additional avenues for pursuing liability. For instance, if you were hit while in a mall parking lot in an area where multiple other people have been hit, the mall may be liable for failing to take appropriate action to mitigate or warn of the risk. Alternatively, if another driver was responsible for initiating the accident and causing another vehicle to hit you, you can also pursue liability against the driver who initiated the accident. If a defective walk signal, or ineffective traffic signs or signals contributed to causing the accident, you may also be able to hold the city accountable. Ultimately, every case is different and you won’t have a real sense of what options or legal avenues are available to you until you speak directly to an attorney about the specifics of your case.
Schedule a Consultation with Hawkins Spizman Trial Lawyers
If you are a pedestrian who has suffered serious injuries as a result of being hit by a negligent driver, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Hawkins Spizman Trial Lawyers are ready to help. Serving Atlanta, Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Cobb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Johns Creek, Sandy Springs, or anywhere in Georgia, our lawyers will fight to get you the compensation that you deserve. Contact our Cobb County personal injury lawyers today to schedule your free consultation.
Resource:
post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/03/09/Smart-Growth-America-pedestrian-deaths-better-design-45-increase/stories/202103090165
