Pedestrian Accidents

An accident in a controlled intersection in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood claimed the life of a 59-year-old Mission District man last week. The San Francisco pedestrian accident occurred around 9:30 a. Tuesday. Authorities say the pedestrian accident victim was taken to San Francisco General Hospital where he died just hours after the accident.

Is San Francisco safe for pedestrians? Between 2000 and 2009, more than 47,000 Americans died in pedestrian accidents. In 2009 alone, 59,000 Americans lost their life while walking and more than 4,000 people died. A non-profit organization recently released data on pedestrian accidents, which ranks the nation’s largest cities for pedestrian safety.

A 9-year-old boy who was in San Francisco to attend the Giants-Phillies game Thursday evening was critically injured following the game. The boy was struck in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident on Mission Street. The boy reportedly stepped into the street at roughly 10:30 p.m.

The Governors Highway Safety Association says California leads the nation in the number of people killed in pedestrian accidents. Pedestrians can be extremely vulnerable against the size and weight of a moving vehicle. But, as a story out of Capitola Village illustrates, a pedestrian can be vulnerable in other types of collisions.

California pedestrians are at serious risk of being involved in an accident, according to a recently released report by the Transportation by America coalition. The nationwide study ranked California 16th in the nation for pedestrian danger.

For years, national safety campaigns sponsored by mainstream celebrities and important government agencies have tried to impress upon drivers the dangers of texting behind the wheel. While distracted driving remains a critical threat to road safety, another dangerous behavior has also attracted the attention of safety advocates: texting while walking.

More and more San Francisco residents are calling for measures which will improve the city’s tarred pedestrian safety record. In late March, three pedestrian deaths occurred in the course of a mere week, sparking a growing sense of urgency among advocates for pedestrian safety, such as members of the organization Walk San Francisco.

A tragic fatality last weekend marked San Francisco’s third fatal pedestrian accident since the beginning of the new year. The pedestrians injured in all three of the accidents were senior citizens, leading some San Francisco residents to call for greater emphasis on creating senior-friendly streets.

As part of this blog, we have highlighted the many dangers facing bicycle riders on San Francisco streets. Recent studies have proven that San Francisco’s steep hills and narrow streets make our city one of the most dangerous in the nation for cyclists. However, a recent news story reminds us that bicycle riders can pose