Crossing the street can be deadly in and around Orangevale, California. For example, a 19-year-old driver of a Chrysler 300M was traveling westbound on Central Avenue in Orangevale when he hit an 82-year-old woman who was crossing the street. The victim was transported to Mercy San Juan Hospital with severe head and internal injuries and later died due to her injuries.

This tragic accident is a prime example of how serious collisions can be between a car and a pedestrian. The individual hit by a vehicle is exposed to the full force of the impact. Even if a pedestrian survives, they usually wind up suffering catastrophic bodily injuries. Some of the most common types of injuries suffered by pedestrians include:

• Traumatic brain injury or severe head wound
• Lacerations to the face and body
• Spinal cord injuries (including paralysis)
• Torn ligaments
• Fractured tibia
• Fractured fibula and femur
• Fractured ribs
• Amputation

A study published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine showed that the global economic burden of injuries caused by collisions between pedestrians and motor vehicles is estimated to be $500 billion. Each year, thousands of people lose their lives in pedestrian accidents. In fact, over 4,600 pedestrian fatalities and over 70,000 people have suffered injuries in years past in the United States. The study also indicated that the burden of the injury on the victim, their families, and society is overwhelming.

A motorist must exercise all due care when approaching a pedestrian, which includes reducing the speed of their vehicle or taking any other action to ensure the safety of the pedestrian crossing the street.

In many instances, a collision between a pedestrian and a motorist is caused by the driver’s careless and/or reckless behavior. The tragic accident mentioned earlier is a prime example. The driver in that incident was reportedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Other causes of these accidents include:

• The driver failed to yield to the pedestrian at a crosswalk
• The driver failed to obey the speed limit
• The driver was distracted by using a cell phone and texting
• Driver was intoxicated

First and foremost, seek immediate medical attention. Your well-being is paramount. If you are physically able, you should try to get the name and contact information of the motorist, in addition to the contact information of the driver’s auto insurance company. If witnesses saw the collision, try to get their name and phone number. If your bodily injuries are too severe for you to get this information, try to ask a friend or a police officer to obtain this information on your behalf.

The next important step is to speak to an experienced Orangevale pedestrian accident attorney about your legal options. An attorney can help investigate the collision and collect vital evidence.

To prevail in a pedestrian accident case, there needs to be evidence establishing that the motorist had a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care, that the breach was the proximate cause of the collision, and that you suffered severe injuries as a result.

Establishing a duty of care in a pedestrian accident is pretty straightforward. As mentioned, a motorist owes a duty of care when approaching a pedestrian at a crosswalk or an intersection. Motorists must operate their vehicles reasonably safely by obeying all traffic laws. Even where a traffic law does not apply, the motorist still owes a duty to use common sense and act reasonably. If a driver fails to do so, they have breached their duty of care and can be held liable for your harm and losses.

The following video provides some road safety for pedestrians.

If you or someone close to you has been injured in a pedestrian accident involving a negligent driver, please call our experienced Orangevale pedestrian accident lawyers for free and friendly advice. I can also be reached online at AutoAccident.com.

We have been serving the Orangevale and Northern California communities since 1982.

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^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 7.21.23] Photo by StockSnap sd Rey [cs 751]}