Dallas Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
Texas Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian traffic accidents in Texas can cause serious injuries or even death. Pedestrians, unlike motorists or their passengers, don’t have the protection a vehicle offers. The human body has little defense against the impact of a 3,000 pound motor vehicle. On impact, the pedestrian can be thrown and suffer severe injuries such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), broken bones, internal bleeding, paralysis, disfigurement or even death. Steele Law, P.C., is ready to represent injury victims or families who have lost a loved one in a fatal Texas pedestrian accident.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 4,000 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents in the United States in 2008. While this is a 16 percent decrease from the number of pedestrians killed in 1998, this statistic is still alarming. For either the driver or the pedestrian, alcohol was reported to be involved in 48 percent of traffic crashes that resulted in pedestrian fatalities.
On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident every two hours. About 72 percent of these fatalities occur in urban areas, with most pedestrians killed on sidewalks, median strips, traffic islands or crosswalks. In Texas, there were 3,382 traffic fatalities in 2008. Pedestrians accounted for 416 of those deaths, which is about 12.3 percent. Pedestrians over the age of 65 accounted for 18 percent of all pedestrian fatalities. Frighteningly, children aged 15 and younger accounted for 7 percent of pedestrian fatalities in 2008. In 2008, there were 69,000 pedestrians injured in traffic crashes, which averages to a pedestrian injury every 8 minutes. An estimated 10 percent of these injuries were pedestrians over the age of 65, and 22 percent were children aged 15 and younger.
Often, drivers involved in pedestrian accidents are found liable, frequently because they were driving under the influence or driving distracted. However, pedestrians themselves may be at fault in some instances if they don’t adhere to right-of-way traffic laws or cross at appropriate places. According to Texas Transportation Code Section 552.003, "A pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and proceed into a crosswalk in the path of a vehicle so close that it is impossible for the vehicle operator to yield."
To prevent pedestrian injuries and fatalities, the NHTSA encourages pedestrians to cross streets at designated crosswalks. Before crossing, always look both ways. The NHTSA also promotes using flashlights and wearing reflective clothing while walking at night to increase visibility to motorists. The NHTSA cautions pedestrians to walk on the sidewalk when possible, but if a pedestrian must walk in the street, they caution pedestrians to walk facing traffic.
A person injured in a Texas pedestrian accident may be able to recover damages from the driver who caused the pedestrian accident. If a pedestrian is killed in a fatal car accident, their family may also be able to receive compensation. An accident victim or their family may be able to receive reimbursement for hospital bills, ongoing medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, funeral costs, and more.
If you've been hurt in a Texas pedestrian accident, skilled Carrollton Texas pedestrian accident attorney Ms. Dina Steele is ready to fight for your rights. You do not have to go through this challenging time alone. To learn about your legal options, contact Steele Law for a free consultation.