Miami and Fort Lauderdale residents are acutely aware of the problem of pedestrian accidents. Whether it is a hipster being injured at the Wynwood art walk, a mother hit as someone runs a light on Flagler, or a tourist being run over in South Beach, people on foot are a constant risk for personal injuries arising from being struck by a car.
New data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that pedestrians are at an increasing risk for personal injuries and deaths from cars. Although the rate of car accident fatalities has been declining for years, the rate of personal injuries from pedestrian accidents actually went up last year by 19 percent to 70,000. The number of pedestrian deaths also increased over 4 percentage points. Those hit by cars should contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can help hold negligent drivers responsible for the damage that they’ve caused.
There are several contributing factors of pedestrian accident injuries including driver intoxication and neglect. Richard Wener, professor of environmental psychology at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University also blames cellphone use for many of these accidents.
“There is, by now, a number of studies that indicate that pedestrian distraction is real,” professor Wener said. “It’s very much like driving a car and being on a cellphone. You’re much more likely to miss something around you. Even worse is texting. The likelihood of an accident being really bad or fatal is higher when you’re not protected by 2 tons of steel.”
Source: USA Today,”As U.S. road deaths drop, more pedestrians getting struck,” Larry Copeland, Dec. 9, 2011