Pennsylvania experiences all seasons, which means residents understand how to enjoy the outdoors no matter the weather conditions. Thus, it is not just the warm months where individuals are seen walking to and from their destinations. Whether it is in the parking lot, sidewalk, crosswalk, residential areas or on the side of the road, pedestrians are often walking where vehicles are traveling nearby. This creates the potential for a pedestrian accident, especially if a motorist is inattentive due to distracting activities, such as texting.
Based on current estimates by the National Center for Health Statistics, there were roughly 7,450 fatal pedestrian accidents in 2018. These accidents were described as being both traffic and non-traffic incidents, such as accidents occurring on driveways, parking lots and other private property. It was further estimated that 6,075 pedestrians died in traffic crashes occurring on public roads. This is based on data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA.
Based on the NHTSA reports, it was found that the most pedestrian deaths occurred in urban settings, amounting to 79% of all recorded fatalities. It was further established that 74% occurred on the open road, 25% happened at an intersection and 76% were at night. Even more so, researches found that most fatal pedestrian accident occurred on Saturdays, amounting to 1,031, with the vast majority happening at night, which amounted to 837 deaths.
Whether one in injured in a pedestrian crash or a loved one was lost in such an incident, it is important that one understands their rights. Civil suits, such as a personal injury action or wrongful death claims, are available. These actions not only help assign liability for such an incident but could also help with the recovery of compensation for losses suffered.