People who opt to walk around the San Francisco area, as well as any other area in the country, are counting on drivers to help keep them safe. While there are still accidents that injure or kill pedestrians, the statistics seem to be trending toward fewer injuries and deaths in pedestrian accidents.
The report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration compares nationwide information from 2012 and 2013. Our readers might find these numbers to be very interesting. When it comes to injuries suffered by pedestrians, the NHTSA reports that 10,000 more pedestrians were injured in 2012 than in 2013, which is a difference of 13 percent. In 2012, 76,000 pedestrians were injured. That number dipped to 66,000 in 2013.
The change for the number of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents wasn’t as dramatic. In 2013, 83 fewer pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents than in the preceding year, which is a difference of 1.7 percent. A total of 4,735 pedestrian fatalities were reported in 2013. In 2012, there were 4,818 pedestrian fatalities.
Interestingly, the number of pedalcyclist fatalities increased, but the number of pedalcyclists injured decreased from 2012 to 2013. Pedalcyclist fatalities increased to 743 from 734, while pedalcyclist injuries decreased from 49,000 to 48,000.
The pedestrians and pedalcyclists who are injured by motorists each year and the family members of those who are killed might choose to seek compensation for expenses like medical bills, funeral costs and other damages caused by the accident. Knowing some basic information about seeking compensation, such as the statute of limitations and proper procedures, can help anyone who wants to pursue the right to seek compensation.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “2013 Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview” accessed Feb. 19, 2015
