Cars and pedestrians interact each and every day throughout the nation, often without incident. As is the case with anything that comes into contact with a motor vehicle however, it is possible that such interactions could be devastating. Recently several pedestrian accidents have been in the news in San Francisco.
Of the 21 pedestrian deaths that occurred in San Francisco, in 2013, six of them happened in December. While the circumstances surrounding every accident are different, one thing most situations have in common is that it is a heavy vehicle striking a much lighter human being. When a pedestrian survives a collision with a car, the injuries they suffer can be catastrophic and may result in permanent disability.
One of the most recent incidents involved a 78-year-old man. He was struck by a car one morning earlier this month. Despite there being a crosswalk near where the man was walking, an area resident described the location as a being a bad place for pedestrians to cross.
It is unclear what caused the accident to occur. It is possible that the driver of the car did not see the man. While this more commonly happens at nighttime when it is dark, it can happen during the day as well. Speed is also often a factor in these incidents. Whether either of these factors contributed to this incident is not clear. An investigation into the matter will likely determine what, if any, role they played.
When a pedestrian is injured or killed in an accident with a vehicle it is possible that a personal injury lawsuit could be filed regarding the matter.
Source: San Francisco Gate, “S.F. crash kills pedestrian, injures 3,” Kale Williams and Vivian Ho, Feb. 5, 2014
