Walking in California, as shown in Hollywood movies, is a dream. The scenes are of people walking alongside the Pacific ocean full of gorgeous people in bathing suits and trendy clothes. Or you see people walking across Rodeo drive or other fancy roads. People are walking freely with Starbucks in hand or a cool cell phone. The sun is always bright and the day is always beautiful. Walking in California looks so fun, casual, and safe. Yet, if you actually live in California—Los Angeles specifically—you would know that’s not the case. Our Los Angeles Crosswalk Accident Attorneys at Compass Law Group, LLP see the nightmarish side of pedestrian life. We see the horror and trauma of walking along roadways. Pedestrians are just trying to get around without contributing more to air pollutants. So why is there such a high death toll for pedestrians?
Pedestrian Death’s Rising
Since 2015, more pedestrians are getting killed every year. In 2015 the death toll was 74. By 2017, the number rose to 134 which is the highest number in 15 years. Los Angeles may have an alarming increase in deaths, but nationally pedestrian deaths are increasing. So what is the city doing in order to alleviate the excessive pedestrian deaths?
In 2017, the city spent time researching and investigating some of Los Angele’s deadliest streets and intersections. This research was completed in hopes to construct specific changes and improvements to areas that need it the most. Since then the city has made 1,120 changes to crosswalks and walking signals. The city added crosswalks to clarify pedestrian traffic and 144 more signals were installed to better direct traffic. The city also changed the timing of most of the walking signals. The signals now provide time for pedestrians to reach the sidewalks successfully before the light turns green for the cars to drive. These small intervals in time will protect many pedestrians as they have the chance to reach their sidewalk before cars start to move forward.
These changes are a great start to help our pedestrian community, but speed has to be considered. Pedestrians who are hit by a driver going 20 MPH have a 90% likelihood of surviving versus someone who was driving 40 MPH. The city is working hard on its “Vision Zero” initiative, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Pedestrians should not have to pay the cost of vehicle traffic. Pedestrians should not have to fear the distracted or speeding driver. Time will change, but until then if you or someone you love is suffering from a pedestrian accident it is important you seek legal assistance.
What To Do
If you or someone you love has been hit by a vehicle while walking, our Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Attorneys are here to help fight for justice. We can’t erase what happened to you, but we can make sure to hold those accountable for their actions.
