In what may come as a surprise to some readers, within the past three weeks in Montgomery County, three pedestrians have been killed in three separateincidents. Additionally, in all three instances, it appears, the pedestrians were not only obeying traffic rules, but rather should have had the right of way. Although one of the pedestrians was struck while walking on the sidewalk, one was on a median waiting for a safe cross (the law requires that drivers slow to let a pedestrian standing on the median cross), when he fell and was struck; and the other man was attempting to cross a street where the nearest cross walk was a long way off.
What is troubling about these circumstances, is that authorities are apparently attempting to shift the blame onto the pedestrians. Granted, visibility is certainly a part of pedestrian safety, it can’t be the case that pedestrians have to dress in neon colors and carry large signaling devices in order to merely cross the street.
Authorities could consider measures such as lowering speed limits, installing stop light signals for pedestrians, or lights in the street at busy intersections, such as those used throughout many Californian cities. Additionally, police could enforce the rules protecting pedestrian safety, both through the means of advertising campaigns, and by ticketing drivers who fail to yield. Other measures could include engineering changes to increase visibility, or the installation of speed bumps near common crossways. At the very least, marking crosswalks, by painting the familiar white or yellow lines, could go a long way at helping pedestrians cross safely.
Additionally, the area where one of the men crossed was allegedly a legal crosswalk, but was unmarked. Several of the commenters in the various articles linked to questioned what the public safety benefits were, if any, of having a crosswalk remain unmarked.
By now it’s a commonly known fact that pedestrians have the right of way when crossing the street. Particularly in these cases where there is no evidence that the individuals were engaging in risky street crossing, based on the fact presented, the drivers were probably at least partly at fault. If you or a loved one has been hurt or even killed by a car, our personal injury attorneys may be able to recover compensation for your pain and suffering.
The attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen help people in the Washington, DC area recover just compensation when they have suffered injuries in automobile accidents or other incidents caused by the negligent or unlawful conduct of others. To schedule your free and confidential initial consultation, you can contact us through our website, or by calling (800) 654-1949
More blog posts:
Class Action over Alleged Shuddering of Ford F150s, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, published February 20, 2013
State “Loser Pays” Laws Could Seriously Impact Rights of Injury Victims Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, published January 30, 2013
Supreme Court Reviews the Constitutionality of Blood Tests for Suspected Drunk Drivers, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, published January 10, 2013