A recent article in The New York Times talks about the “blizzard of technologies” that not only protect people inside, but also outside the vehicle, including pedestrians. Cars that are available now tend to be so well equipped with safety features both, mechanical and electronic, that many of their drivers may not be fully aware of them. Some of these controls, such as the electronic stability system that helps prevent rollover crashes and traction control that helps eliminate uncontrolled wheel spin on slick surfaces have of course, been available for some time now.
Anti-lock brakes shorten stopping distances and more recently, rearview cameras look out for pedestrians or small children who may be behind the vehicle. Apart from these features, there is also more advanced tech that is available. For example, seat cushions and steering wheels can vibrate or buzz to let drivers know that they are leaving their traffic lane and sensors present in the front of the vehicle detect an imminent collision to alert the driver.
Car manufacturers have been subscribing to and adopting these innovations in an effort to increase the safety of the occupants in their vehicles as well as to prevent pedestrian accidents and serious injuries to pedestrians.
How Tech Can Help Pedestrians
The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) said this year that pedestrian deaths from vehicles in the United States had increased to 6,283 in 2018, from 4,109 in 2009. Experts say that part of this increase is because of popular pickup trucks, SUVs and crossovers, which have higher hoods than sedans. With SUVs or pickup trucks, pedestrians are more likely to end up under the vehicle. When hit by a sedan, the pedestrian has better chances of landing on the hood of the car.
Some car makers are monitoring such data and developing appropriate technology. For instance, a new safety feature incorporates a device near the base of the windshield that instantly lifts the hood from the rear, adding space between it and the engine for a softer landing spot. More of these active electronic safety technologies using sensors, radar and cameras, are coming.
Among these features are automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle detection; automatic high-beam headlights; lane departure warnings; blind-spot warning; and rear cross-path detection that senses traffic coming up from behind as well as pedestrians before the vehicle backs up. Even where the auto braking does not prevent a collision, slowing the speed helps pedestrians survive and may reduce the extent of their injuries.
Despite these advancements in technology, it bears repeating that a vast majority of car accidents are caused by negligent (careless) drivers who are not paying attention to the road, or drivers who are speeding, distracted, impaired, etc. If you are a pedestrian who has been injured by a negligent driver, you may be able to seek compensation for the injuries, damages and losses caused.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured victims of pedestrian accidents can seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones in pedestrian accidents can seek compensation for damages such as lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc.
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 the victim was not walking in a marked crosswalk and even if the driver involved in collision was not 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: http://iht.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx