Despite its sunshine and abundance of parks like Roseville’s Maidu Park and Olympus Park, being a pedestrian in California is dangerous. According to 2020 statistical data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), California is the 11th state with the highest number of pedestrian fatalities, with 986 deaths.

You may be entitled to financial compensation if you or a loved one suffered severe injuries from getting hit by a vehicle while walking in Placer County, California. Call our pedestrian injury attorneys from Roseville at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for a free consultation.

A Governors Highway Safety Association report stated that 7,624 pedestrians were killed by motor vehicles in 2021. There was an estimated overall increase of 77 percent from 2010 to 2021. Approximately 1,120 pedestrian fatalities occurred in California in 2021. This accounted for a pedestrian death rate of approximately 2.85 percent per 100,000 in the Golden State that year.

Even if a pedestrian and car collision does not kill the pedestrian, the walker can be left with catastrophic injuries that can affect the pedestrian for the rest of their life. Medical payments and other expenses can easily reach thousands of dollars throughout the pedestrian’s lifetime. This makes it essential that injured parties seek compensation for losses through a personal injury lawsuit.

There is no single “type” of a pedestrian collision; hence, injuries sustained in one car vs. pedestrian crash can differ markedly from those suffered in another accident. To make matters worse, if the pedestrian suffers a traumatic brain injury, they may be unable to recall precisely how they were struck – or even that they were struck – making it challenging to establish fault and hold the party responsible for hitting the pedestrian accountable for their actions.

Fortunately, a knowledgeable pedestrian injury lawyer from Roseville can examine the claimant’s injuries and the damage to the motor vehicle involved. The lawyer will use this information to help prove their client’s case. Most vehicle collisions will damage the pedestrian’s hips and/or legs as this is usually the first point of impact in any pedestrian collision (the location of the damage may be able to tell the angle at which the pedestrian was struck).

After the initial impact, a pedestrian may be:

• Projected or thrown forward in front of the car. This usually occurs when the motorist slams on their brakes but still hits the pedestrian. The vehicle’s momentum is transferred to the pedestrian, sent “flying” several feet in front of the car. The speed at which the pedestrian is struck will dictate the pedestrian’s projected distance. In addition to the hip/leg injuries previously mentioned, this type of pedestrian strike can cause traumatic brain injury, spine and neck injuries, internal injuries, and road rash/severe abrasions if the pedestrian slides or skids across the pavement. Damage to the striking vehicle is usually limited to the point of the first impact.
• Rolled under the vehicle. This type of pedestrian strike typically happens because the motorist did not sufficiently slow down before striking the pedestrian. Instead of being projected forward after impact, the pedestrian is caught and rolled underneath the car. This can be fatal to the pedestrian, depending on the facts and circumstances of the strike. This type of collision can result in crushing injuries and internal injuries to the pedestrian. The car’s undercarriage may also be damaged, and blood or organic matter may be found near the vehicle’s bumper.
• Thrown over the car. In this third type of pedestrian collision, the pedestrian is initially struck by the vehicle and then rolled over the top of the car, landing someplace behind the vehicle. Like “roll-under” crashes, these collisions typically occur when the striking vehicle moves too fast. The pedestrian is then thrown onto the car’s hood (or the trunk if the car is moving in reverse) and rolls onto the opposite end of the vehicle. This can cause cuts and lacerations to the pedestrian if they are cut by the windshield and can result in broken bones, spine and neck injuries, and/or traumatic brain injuries depending on how they land after being hit. One expects to find damage to the car’s bumper, hood, and windshield, with the more severe damage being on the same end that first hit the pedestrian.

The National Geographic video below shows what happens during a pedestrian vs. car accident by experimenting with a crash test dummy.

Despite massive efforts by state and national government agencies to bring awareness to pedestrian safety, the rate at which they occur has not diminished much in recent years. Risky and careless behaviors by motorists can be blamed for some of these collisions. Such behavior includes:

• Driving while distracted by a phone call, text message, the radio, other passengers, or any other distraction causes the driver to take their attention and focus off the road.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can impair the senses and result in the driver needing more time to notice hazards like pedestrians and take steps to avoid a collision.
• Speeding too fast for road or weather conditions (not slowing down in heavy traffic, night, or poor visibility).
• Disobeying traffic control signs or signals, such as running red lights or stop signs.
• Other careless behavior.