Across the country, the number of pedestrian fatalities has increased by more than 50 percent just in the past decade. According to a news report in the AARP Bulletin, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has estimated that nearly 6,600 pedestrians were fatally injured last year based on 2019 initial data from the U.S. government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That is the highest number of pedestrian accident deaths in more than three decades. In 2018, people aged 50 to 64 accounted for more than 25 percent of the pedestrian deaths, according to the federal government.
What the Report Means for Older Pedestrians
The news account also states that demographic changes, economic conditions, fuel prices, population and weather conditions have an impact on the number of pedestrian deaths. In 30 states, the number of pedestrian fatalities increased. Five states – California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Texas – accounted for nearly half of the deaths, but have only about a third of the U.S. population.
California, Texas and Florida are states with the highest numbers of residents 65 and older, according to 2018 Census Bureau estimates. Experts say as the population gets older and bodies age, there are issues of frailty – so, when older people get struck by a vehicle, there is a greater chance that these individuals will be seriously injured or even killed. New York City has also seen a number of fatal pedestrian accidents involving senior citizens in all its boroughs.
The study says another factor that has led to the rise in pedestrian deaths is the increase in smartphone use over the last decade. This has contributed to distracted driving. Also, nighttime is far more dangerous for walkers than daylight. Substantially more than half of all deaths occur after dark when a driver’s ability to see someone walking is hampered.
Injuries to Senior Citizens
Experts say the greatest of all the dangers present on the road for pedestrians, and older pedestrians in particular, is speeding. In such cases, the chances of survival after getting hit by a vehicle are extremely low. The GHSA study points to education, enforcement and better street design as ways to lower pedestrian fatalities.
New York City’s busy streets and intersections frequently pose a serious hazard for older pedestrians. Senior citizens can especially suffer catastrophic injuries in vehicle versus pedestrian accidents. For example, a hip fracture or multiple broken bones may drastically reduce an older person’s quality of life. Studies have shown that a fall or other injuries may reduce the life span of an older person. Also, in the case of older pedestrians, their weakened physical condition tends to result in greater number of deaths due to the injuries suffered in such collisions. Driver negligence (carelessness) is often a crucial factor in these types of traffic accidents.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
Pedestrian accident victims and their families should remember that they may be able to seek compensation for injuries or losses in collisions even if they were not walking in a marked crosswalk and even if the driver has not been charged. Our law firm recovered the full one million dollar insurance policy for a girl who was not in the crosswalk when a motor vehicle hit her.
For over 49 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: https://www.aarp.org/auto/driver-safety/info-2020/pedestrian-fatalities-rise.html