About 10 million people share the 498.3 square mile-space of Los Angeles, California. As a melting pot of different culture and people, Los Angeles has become one of the most favored destinations of immigrants, tourists and local visitors. Being a busy metropolis, it is also one of the most populated cities in California and the whole country.
Considered as one of the busiest cities in the world, LA roads are also packed with cars, buses, motorcycles and trucks. With these numbers, it is highly probable that accidents involving pedestrians and automobiles would occur. In fact, roughly, around 700 pedestrians are killed and about 14,000 people are injured every year due to pedestrian accidents.
Most of these accidents, a staggering 85%, happen in urban and highly populated areas.
Most of Los Angeles Pedestrian Accidents happen on the weekend when people go out and relax; and during nighttime between six in the evening and midnight when the streets are dark and drivers are tired and sleepy.
Moreover, persons who get involved in pedestrian accidents are usually the children and the elderly. Kids are the most common victims because their actions are almost impossible to predict. Some kids play on the streets and some do not even look for upcoming vehicles when crossing. On the other hand, elders are hit because of their slow movements and impaired faculties. In addition, statistics show that 69% of pedestrian accident casualties are men.
Pedestrians suffer the most injuries when the collision occurs. Drivers are protected by inches of metal and airbags as opposed to the brittle form of the human body, which is not designed to withstand heavy impacts.
In some pedestrian accidents, the person at fault is easy to determine. But there are instances when traffic enforcements are having a hard time figuring out who should be blamed.
The driver of the involved vehicle is usually blamed in most of the recorded pedestrian accidents because of causes such as:
1. Over-speeding
2. Driving under the Influence (DUI)
3. Disregard of Traffic signs
4. Pre-occupied w/ other things
5. Defective vehicle parts
On the other hand, the fault is attributed to the pedestrians or the victims of the accident on the following instances:
1. Failure to follow traffic rules like rules on jaywalking, pedestrian crossing, etc.
2. Failure to check for approaching vehicles before crossing
Sometimes, other people who are not directly involved in the accident may be held responsible. Some of them are:
1. The traffic enforcers for issuing questionable traffic commands and regulations
2. The city government for bumpy roads and faulty traffic signs
3. The automobile manufacturers for selling or manufacturing defective vehicles and mechanical parts
If you or one of your loved ones had been involved in a Pedestrian Accident in Los Angeles, California; or if you are unsure as to who should take the blame, it is sensible that you inquire your queries to a highly experienced lawyer.
Availing the services of a Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident lawyer would help you determine whether you have a good case against the other party or not. A lawyer who specifically handles this type of case could also advise you on what to do next and could assist you in determining the maximum amount of damages that you can claim.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Adriane Lauren Luna
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