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San Rafael Woman Charged with Felony Hit and Run in Pedestrian Accident

California personal injury lawyers sometimes come across car accidents that are caused by senior citizens. In a similar case, a 75-year-old San Rafael woman has been charged with felony hit and run in a pedestrian accident that left one person with injuries

Akiko Nogamie Zanoni was charged with one misdemeanor account of reckless driving causing injury. On May 26th, Zanoni was driving on Civic Center Drive when her car struck a pedestrian walking on a sidewalk. The pedestrian suffered a fractured leg and cuts to the forehead. According to police, Zanoni left the scene, and drove back home. When she saw the damage to her car, she thought it had occurred at an auto repair shop where she had just had her car repaired. She was arrested when she returned to the repair shop.

If convicted of felony charges, Zanoni could face prison time, but she has not had prior convictions, and the hit and run count could be reduced to a misdemeanor. According to her defense attorney, Zanoni does not remember the pedestrian accident and her team is exploring any medical issues that have contributed to the accident.

Senior citizens face unique age-related challenges while driving vehicles. Because of their age, they are more likely to face eyesight problems that can contribute to deadly errors on the road. These motorists may not be able to see other cars on the road, and this can cause serious errors. They may also have problems with hearing, and this may prevent them from hearing horns and signals from other motorists. Elderly drivers are also more likely to suffer from delayed response times. Besides, these motorists are more likely to suffer from health conditions that require long-term medication. Driving under the influence of prescription drugs can create conditions that are similar to those resulting from drunk driving. None of this is to say that senior citizens are not responsible drivers, but medical issues related to age can often be a factor in car accidents.

The problem is a touchy one, and any proposal that aims to place driving restrictions or limitations on senior citizens is often met with objection by these motorists themselves. It’s important that elderly drivers self police themselves, and restrict their driving when they begin to find their physical and mental facilities becoming slower. With life expectancy in America for both men and woman increasing, people can expect to live much longer than earlier, and this means that we will continue to have more elderly drivers on the streets. Besides, senior citizens these days are likely to live independent active lives that require them to be mobile. Putting an end to all driving may be excruciating, but could be necessary in case health conditions increase the risk of an accident. Families of senior citizens must also keep a close watch on their loved ones’ ability to drive, and must step in to take away their keys if they fear that their parents are in danger of causing an accident.

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.

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One response to “San Rafael Woman Charged with Felony Hit and Run in Pedestrian Accident”

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   @ June 20th, 2009 at 02:27