Personal Injury Lawyers > Personal Injury Blog > Pedestrian Accidents > Pedestrian Injured in Sebastopol Accident Still in Critical Condition

Personal Injury Blog

Pedestrian Injured in Sebastopol Accident Still in Critical Condition

A 15-year-old girl, who was seriously injured after a pedestrian crosswalk accident on Friday, continues to remain in a critical condition in the hospital.

The unidentified girl, a Petaluma resident, was apparently hit by a car on highway 116 as she walked to a fireworks show with her friends. According to news reports, the driver of the car that struck the girl was a 70-year-old woman who has not yet been charged with a crime.

Police are conducting an investigation to determine who was at fault in the accident. So far, police say it is not clear if the girl was in the right. Neighbors however, have another story to tell. According to them, the girl was struck on a dangerous stretch of road on which several other pedestrian accidents have taken place before. The road apparently is a magnet for speeders. Residents in the neighborhood had reported several incidents over the past couple of years, where there have been close shaves with speeding motorists. In fact, the problem is so acute, they have urged state and local authorities to install a warning sign at the site, but these requests have gone unheeded.

There are several design flaws on the road that increase the risk of pedestrian accidents. Motorists traveling west can find themselves being temporarily blinded by the glare of the sun. The driver in this particular accident was not injured, and so far, there is no information on whether she was driving above the 35mph speed limit. Pedestrian accidents, in most cases, are caused because of motorist failure to yield to pedestrian’s right of way. However, they can also be the result of negligence of pedestrians themselves.

Pedestrians who are distracted while walking may be at a higher risk of a collision with a motor vehicle. For instance, talking on a cell phone or listening to an i-Pod may cause a pedestrian to miss out on important signals from motorists. Besides, pedestrians who cross randomly without attention to marked crossings, or who fail to look for traffic before crossing over to the other side may find themselves at a higher risk of accidents. Sometimes, pedestrians don’t realize that they are putting themselves at risk for an accident by their behaviors. For instance, a pedestrian walking at night wearing dark-colored clothes may be more difficult to spot at an intersection. This makes it harder for a motorist to stop when they see the pedestrian at the last second. Pedestrians who are walking out in heavy rain or otherwise poor weather could unknowingly place themselves in a dangerous situation. Bad weather conditions can impact visibility, making it harder for a motorist to stop in time. To avoid such accidents, pedestrian must always wear reflective or brightly colored clothing when they are out on the road, and must cross the road only at a designated crosswalk.

Motorists must yield to pedestrians when they have the right of way, and must be aware of all pedestrian rights. Avoiding speeding, drunk driving, and distractions at the wheel can go a long way in preventing pedestrian accidents.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of pedestrian accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.

The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

---