Are Most At-Fault Drivers Charged In Pedestrian-Car Accidents?

On behalf of Lovett Law Firm posted in Car Accidents on Friday, September 5, 2014.

Negligent drivers in Texas, along with those who aren’t prepared to encounter cyclists and pedestrians on the roads, are a danger. Pedestrian accidents take a number of forms that are going to be discussed, from bicycle accidents to pedestrian accidents in local intersections.

Statistics throughout the last 10 to 20 years have varied widely, but some have stood out. For instance, car collisions result in 34,000 people dying in the United States each year. On top of that, most at-fault drivers who kill pedestrians or bicyclists get away without charges. How is that possible?

A study by the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition claims that three out of four drivers who were at-fault in a pedestrian accident were never even cited for the incident. Twenty-two percent of fatal pedestrian accidents are a result of hit-and-run drivers, but those people may never have been found or charged, either. Interestingly, in New York, up to 92 percent of drivers were at fault when they struck pedestrians and cyclists. The surprise is that 74 percent weren’t even ticketed for the crimes.

Here’s a few interesting statistics that you may not have known.

— SUVs are deadlier for child pedestrians than passenger cars by approximately 18 percent.– Cars running red lights kill around 800 people each year around the United States, as of an analysis in 2000.– Speeding is a danger to pedestrians. Pedestrians hit by a 30 mph car have a 20 percent chance of death. Those hit by a car traveling at 40 mph have a risk of death that jumps to 70 percent, a 2011 report showed.– Bicyclists have improved their safety measures over time. In 1991, only 18 percent of cyclists wore helmets. In 2008, that number had risen to 50 percent.

Pedestrian who are injured because of a negligent driver have a right to file a civil lawsuit against the at-fault driver even if criminal charges are not filed. More information about filing such a lawsuit for compensation is available from an experienced Texas personal injury attorney.

Source: Bicycle Universe, “Bicycle Safety Almanac” Sep. 04, 2014