Data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 5,977 pedestrians died in traffic accidents in the U.S. in 2017. That same data captures how 137,000 suffered injuries that resulted in them visiting emergency rooms that same year. The federal agency’s data suggests that certain factors make some pedestrians more apt to be struck than others.
CDC data shows that at least 20% of all pedestrians who die in pedestrian accidents are age 65 or over. Older Americans like this accounted for 10% of all pedestrians killed in such incidents in 2017.
That same data shows that 20% of pedestrian accident victims that same year were minor children under 15.
The federal agency’s research also shows that pedestrians, in general, have a more substantial fatality rate at night in urban areas. Their risk of a car striking and killing them increases the further they distance themselves from intersections.
Alcohol consumption can be deadly for both pedestrians and motorists. CDC data shows that at least one-third of traffic fatalities involving pedestrians involve that person having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08%. Another 17% involve the motorist having an elevated BAC of .08% or more. There are countless other cases in which both parties have elevated indexes. CDC data shows that at least 47% of the fatal accidents in 2017 involved an intoxicated motorist or pedestrian.
Pedestrians are much like motorcyclists in that they lack the protection of a vehicle’s outer shell to absorb some of the impact if a car strikes them. While there are steps that pedestrians can take to make themselves more visible to avoid a potentially catastrophic crash, these measures don’t always help. A catastrophic injury and wrongful death attorney can advise you whether Michigan law allows you to recover compensation for your injuries or your loved one’s loss.
