Determining the likelihood of a pedestrian being hurt by a car

In California, pedestrians made up 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in 2012. Overall, 4,743 pedestrians died, which was slightly higher than in 2011. However, the percentage of pedestrian fatalities remained the same due to a slight increase in overall traffic fatalities from 2011 to 2012. Of pedestrians who were killed, 73 percent were killed on urban roads, and only 20 percent were killed as a result of a crash at an intersection.

In 2012, 89 percent of pedestrians who died in traffic accidents were killed in accidents that took place in clear or cloudy weather. Only 9 percent were killed in accidents where snowy or rainy conditions were reported at the time of the crash. An additional 1 percent of accidents took place when foggy conditions were reported. These numbers were identical to statistics for crashes involving pedestrians in 2011.

The majority of accidents in which a pedestrian was killed took place at night and involved an older person. Pedestrians who were over the age of 45 were more likely to be killed in an accident compared to younger people. Those who were over the age of 65 made up 20 percent of all pedestrian fatalities despite being only 14 percent of the population in 2012.

Pedestrians who are hurt in a car accident may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident. The families of pedestrians who are killed may have the ability to file a wrongful death suit. In either case, the driver who caused the crash may be held financially liable for medical bills incurred or the final expenses of a pedestrian. An attorney may be able to help those who wish to take legal action against a potentially negligent driver.

Source: NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, “Traffic Safety Facts Pedestrians“, October 14, 2014