California Pedestrian Accident Attorneys

If you live in Ventura – or simply like to visit – you recognize how convenient and enjoyable getting out and about on foot can be. We have the weather and the beautiful scenery that lures pedestrians outside. When you’re walking, however – even if it’s just from your car to your office – you’re exceptionally vulnerable to being seriously injured in a pedestrian accident.

If someone else’s negligence leaves you injured when you’re in pedestrian mode, don’t delay consulting with an experienced Ventura pedestrian accident attorney.

The CDC Weighs In

The CDC shares some sobering statistics regarding pedestrian accidents throughout the nation, including:

In 2017, nearly 6,000 people died in fatal pedestrian accidents.
Another 137,000 pedestrians were injured so badly in traffic accidents that they were treated in emergency rooms.
Pedestrians are one and a half times more likely than the occupants of passenger vehicles to die in car crashes (per trip).

Pedestrian accidents happen far too often, and they are exceptionally dangerous.

Driver Negligence

Pedestrian accidents are often the result of driver negligence, which might include the following:

Excess Speed

When a motorist is driving too fast (whether this means in excess of the speed limit or too fast for the conditions on the ground), the driver has less time to react safely, and he or she helps to ensure that any accident that does happen will be that much more dangerous. Further, many pedestrian accidents happen in crosswalks – where the paths of pedestrians and motorists meet – and motorists are responsible for proceeding with caution in these intersections (not speeding forward with abandon).

Distraction

Distracted drivers do not pay adequate attention to the road ahead, which puts pedestrians at a distinct safety disadvantage. Additionally, many motorists mistakenly believe that stoplights and stop signs are a great opportunity to hit their phones. Texting and other smartphone activities are the most dangerous distractions of all, and pedestrians can pay the ultimate price.

Impairment

Impaired drivers are dangerous drivers, and because they can suffer physical, sensory, and cognitive impairments, they are ill-prepared to react safely to pedestrians in their midst. To make matters that much more dangerous, impaired drivers also lack impulse control, which makes them more likely to speed and/or hang on their phones.

Exhaustion

Drowsy drivers can suffer impairments that closely resemble those that drunk drivers experience, which means they also present a serious danger for pedestrians.

Don’t Put off Consulting with an Experienced California Pedestrian Accident Attorney

Pedestrian accidents are some of the most dangerous traffic accidents out there, and if someone else’s negligence leaves you injured in such an accident, you’re likely facing considerable physical, financial, and emotional damages. The well-respected pedestrian accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Bamieh & De Smeth, PLC – proudly serving California – are standing by to help.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us online or call us at 805-643-5555 today.