As a Mission Viejo accident lawyer I sometimes represent pedestrians injured by motor vehicles. A recent article from the Wall Street Journal indicates that, not only do people get injured by vehicles while pedestrians, they also can die. For reasons still unknown, certain states have more pedestrian deaths than others.
The National Transportation Safety Board reports that in the year 2010 there were four thousand, two hundred and eighty pedestrian deaths in the United States. That number was an increase in the number of pedestrian deaths by almost five percent over the previous year.
Some of the most dangerous states for pedestrians are:
- Oklahoma
- Hawaii
- Arizona,
- Florida,
- Georgia and
- North Carolina
One of the factors identified was that states with large numbers of retired persons, who tend to walk places instead of driving, have higher percentages of pedestrian deaths. However in one non retiree state, Delaware, there was a shocking increase in pedestrian deaths of thirty one and one half percent.
One danger that appears to be recognized is the fact that some areas are semi-rural areas which adjoin developed areas. People without cars in these semi rural areas sometimes have to walk on semi-rural roads in order to get to a bus stop or other transit location. In these semi-rural areas people often do not have sidewalks and marked road crossing. People are thus walking in a “zone of danger” until they get to the developed area.
A way to protect yourself while walking would seem to be by walking defensively, just like you do when you drive defensively. As a Mission Viejo accident lawyer I see how not paying attention for just a few seconds can result in serious injuries to drivers. It is now becoming clear that the same applies to pedestrians. Please walk defensively when anywhere near a road with vehicles.
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