Articles Posted in Pedestrian accidents

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Simple design interventions like illuminated crosswalks  can make it easier for motorists  to see pedestrians at  crossings and prevent pedestrian car accidents. A pedestrian car accident often results in severe personal injuries to the pedestrian or his or her wrongful death.

The  issue of pedestrian  safety is one that has been front and center for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as it grapples with an increase in the number of people being killed in car accidents.  Several  studies have found that simple improvements to design and  infrastructure can help prevent many of these accidents.

Many  of these interventions are focused on making pedestrians more visible to drivers.  Very often, motorists fail to notice motorists with devastating consequences. A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that something as simple as illuminated crosswalks can make motorists more visible and help reduce the chance of pedestrian car accidents.

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Reducing the number of pedestrians killed in car accidents every year is key to reducing the number of auto accident wrongful deaths recorded across the country. Simple design interventions can help accomplish this goal.

According to a report titled Dangerous By Design by Smart Growth America, basic design interventions that may be simple to execute are often all that are required to reduce the number of auto accident fatalities involving pedestrians every year. Pedestrian crash deaths have been driving the increase in car and auto accident deaths across the country, and the expert consensus is that unless these deaths are minimized, there will be very little progress made in keeping our roads safer.

The U.S. does not boast the type of pedestrian –  friendly infrastructure that is the hallmark of  roads in Europe, but small steps can minimize the risk to pedestrians even on our roads.  The report Dangerous By Design finds that simple design interventions can reduce auto accident risks. For example, brighter lighting and illumination at key pedestrian -heavy areas can make a huge difference for pedestrians. A brightly-lit street means pedestrians can be seen clearly and avoided by motorists. Similarly, shorter crossing distances for pedestrians can also help. Multi-lane roads provide minimal opportunities for pedestrians to cross safely. Better designed medians and brighter markings at curbs can also help reduce the risk to pedestrians.  Even simple steps like more striped crosswalks and stop signs will alert motorists to pedestrian activity in the area. The use of pedestrian refuge islands and curb extensions  are also strategies that can  help minimize the risk of pedestrian accidents.

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All K -12 students in Georgia will now benefit from free access to traffic and road safety education thanks to a collaboration between the Georgia Department of Transportation and a leading education media organization.

Georgia has struggled with an increase in the number of car accident wrongful deaths across the state, with 1,800  people dying in auto accidents across the state in 2022.  There were more than 2,000 auto accidents recorded in the state that year involving drivers between the ages of 15 and 24.  Clearly, this is a high risk category of motorists and the Department of Transportation wants to ensure that drivers falling in this age category have access to all the resources that they need in order to drive safely and responsibly.

The new collaboration is called the Car and Road Safety Program, and is an initiative between the Georgia Department of Transportation and We Are Teachers which is a national educational advocacy program.  We Are Teachers conducted surveys across Georgia schools, working together with teachers in order to develop high quality materials that are specifically targeted to Georgia students.  The 5 year program will make available to students quality theoretical resources as well as the chance to take a virtual field trip anywhere in Georgia. There are also lots of interactive quizzes and plenty of activities to sharpen young motorists’ knowledge about traffic safety.

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New data finds a drop of 5% in the number of pedestrians killed in auto   accidents in the United States last year.

The  Governors Highway Safety Association recently released new data that finds a 5.4% drop in the number of pedestrians being killed in auto accidents compared to the previous year.  In 2023, a total of 7,318 pedestrians were killed in car accidents.

While the news of a drop in the number of deaths is encouraging, it is too early for celebration.  The fact is that pedestrian accident numbers continue to remain stubbornly high.  According  to Governors Highway Safety Association data,  the numbers in 2022 were a  14% increase over pre- pandemic numbers.   Pedestrian deaths accounted for close to 18% of  all auto accident deaths in 2022. Between 2010 and 2022, there was a shocking 77% increase in pedestrian accident wrongful deaths, and the increase in overall traffic accident deaths was just 22 percent during this time.

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As electric cars become more popular on our roads, there are frequently more reports of car accidents involving these vehicles with pedestrians.

The demand for electric vehicles has nowhere near peaked, and as the number of such vehicles increases on our roads, we are understanding more about the specific dangers involving such cars.  While electric cars have their  advantages, they can be extremely silent, and this can pose a threat to  vulnerable users on our roads, like pedestrians. According to the results of a new study, pedestrians are as much as three times more likely to be involved in fatal car accidents involving electric cars compared to gas powered cars.

Both electric and hybrid cars were found to be more dangerous compared to gas powered cars.  The rate of accidents was 5 wrongful deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the case of electric cars, and just 2.5 wrongful deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the case of gas powered vehicles.

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Close to 40% of all car accidents involving delivery vans could be prevented if all vans came equipped with four important safety features.

According  to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, auto tech could play a key role in helping reduce the number of auto accidents caused by delivery vans in the United States.   Delivery  vans have become a ubiquitous presence on American roads,  and their number has only grown since the pandemic when online purchases became the norm. With the e-commerce boom not expected to slow down anytime soon, it is important for regulators and auto makers to act to make these vehicles safer for all motorists on the road.

Light vans were already a very popular vehicle in the United States, but their popularity has boomed since the pandemic.  As  many as 500,000 such vehicles are sold every year in the United States.  The number of such vehicles simply boomed during the pandemic, spurred by a 43% increase in e-commerce rates.

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As daylight savings time changes go into effect and clocks are brought one hour forward, a new study finds that there may be some benefits to pedestrians  and bicyclists as accidents involving these road users  are reduced after the change. The same benefits, however, do not extend to motorists.

The effect of daylight savings time change has been analyzed by traffic safety experts several times in the past.  In  this most recent study, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety researchers analyzed traffic accident data from between 2010 and 2019.  They further divided these accidents based on the hours around the time change – between 4:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. – and further divided these accidents based on whether these involved motorists or pedestrians and bicyclists.

The data found that the overall net effect of the time change was minimal, regardless of whether the accident involved pedestrians and bicyclists or occupants of a passenger vehicle.  However, about 5 weeks after the fall time change went into effect, they found that there was an increase in the number of car accidents involving bicyclists and a drop in the number of auto accidents involving motorists.  Conversely,  when they analyzed the data from about 5 weeks after the spring time change went into effect, they found an increase in the number of auto accidents involving motorists and a drop in the number of accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

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Persons  who have suffered a brain injury may find it difficult to recall memories or make new memories.  This could possibly be a result of processing deficits as a result of a personal injury. Car accidents, slip and fall accidents and similar traumatic events may result in brain injuries which lead to a processing deficit.

A  brain injury can result in a number of cognitive and intellectual impairments. The person may suffer from concentration problems, cognitive  deficits and a lowered ability to understand  and grasp basic concepts and ideas.  One of the more troubling parts of life after a brain injury is limited memory function.  The  person may struggle to recall events, and even short term memory may be affected.  According  to new research, a brain injury can result in slowing down of processing times or a processing deficit which can, in turn, lead to memory dysfunction.  The findings of the study are important when you consider the fact that as many as 50% of patients who have suffered a brain injury  do suffer from some kind of memory dysfunction.

The researchers believe that rehabilitation after a brain injury can help with memory function to some extent.  They believe that therapy, especially occupational therapy techniques used during rehabilitation must include techniques to speed up processing speed.

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Federal transportation officials as well as state officials met in the nation’s  capital recently to discuss ways to reduce car accident wrongful deaths.

Most states were represented at the gathering with 17 states declining  to participate, and out of these, 10 of those states had traffic accident death rates that were higher than the national average in 2021.  For most transportation officials, the past couple of years have been frustrating to say the least. After several decades of declining traffic accident deaths,  the years  since the pandemic  have actually seen traffic accident deaths inching  upwards once again.  There have been increases reported in almost every category of accidents, from pedestrian accidents to speed – related accidents and distracted driving – related accidents.  Clearly,  new challenges have emerged since the pandemic and fresh strategies are required to deal with these.

Some states reported at the conference that  they have successfully limited the impact of poor driving on accident numbers through very simple steps.  These steps  have involved the use of simple techniques, like rumble strips on highways as well as reflective tape on stop signs in order to help motorists pay stronger attention to the task of driving. Some states are investing in corridors for pedestrians.  Others have increased fines on speeding while some states have focused on construction work zone safety with a specific focus on protecting construction workers in these dangerous zones. Many of these initiatives have  met with great success,  and provide a blueprint for other states to follow these efforts.

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Persons who have suffered a brain injury in an auto accident may be at a higher risk of developing brain cancer later in life. This the shocking finding of a new study which could have a significant impact on personal injury claims.

A  new study that was conducted on military vets finds that a brain injury significantly increases the risk of brain cancer. The study focused on more than 1.9 million vets, and the results are disturbing.   Brain  cancer is a relatively rare cancer, and only one percent of the general population has the risk of suffering from this disease.  However, among  veterans  who have suffered a brain injury, the risk  of developing malignant cancer is as much as 90% higher than in the general population.  Additionally,  in those cases in which the injury has resulted in penetration of the skull, victims  were found to have a three times higher risk of suffering brain cancer.

The researchers take pains to point out that while the study has been conducted on veterans, and  that while the exact same results may not be seen in the  civilian population, more severe or penetrative brain injury is likely to lead to a higher risk of brain cancer among civilians as well.

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