When you find yourself searching the phrase “pedestrian accident lawyer DC” on Google, you’ll probably realize something: even though car accidents involving pedestrians tend to have catastrophic consequences, this type of auto accident simply isn’t discussed very often.
While it’s true that accidents involving only vehicles are more common than accidents also involving pedestrians, at Cohen and Cohen, P.C., we believe that it’s just as important to talk about these serious accidents.
Pedestrian Car Accidents: The Statistics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines a pedestrian as “any person on foot, walking, running, jogging, hiking, sitting, or lying down” outside of a vehicle. According to the most recent NHTSA data published in 2013:
- In that year, 4,735 pedestrians in the U.S. were killed in motor vehicle accidents. This number translates into one pedestrian fatality every two hours.
- In the same year, an estimated 66,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic accidents (the exact number here is hard to confirm simply because many people do not report small accidents to local authorities). This number — 66,000 injured pedestrians — means that one pedestrian in the U.S. was injured every 8 minutes in a traffic accident.
Despite the fact that pedestrian car accidents are not as common as crashes involving only motor vehicles, these statistics show that traffic accidents involving pedestrians can be much more catastrophic. If you are looking for a respected pedestrian accident lawyer in DC for yourself or for a loved one, you probably already understand the grave consequences these accidents can inflict.
Environmental Factors in Pedestrian Car Accidents Matter
Any good pedestrian accident lawyer DC can provide will understand that environmental factors play a big role in the likelihood of a pedestrian traffic accident. But as Cohen and Cohen thoroughly understands, in a busy city like Washington DC, it’s nearly impossible for drivers and pedestrians alike to eliminate the risk of traffic accidents.
As the NHTSA data from 2013 shows,
- 73% of pedestrian traffic accidents in 2013 occurred in urban areas, while only 27% occurred in rural areas
- 30% of pedestrian traffic accidents occurred at intersections or shared-use paths, while nearly 70% of pedestrian accidents occurred on regular roads away from intersections, crosswalks, or any other signs that might designate a pedestrian right-of-way. This suggests that when drivers are in high-pedestrian areas, they tend to be more alert and conscientious of people crossing or walking along the road.
- Three-quarters of pedestrian traffic accidents occur when it’s dark outside. Of the 4,735 pedestrian fatalities in 2013, 26% of those fatalities occurred between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
When You Need a Trusted Car Accident Lawyer, Contact Cohen and Cohen, P.C.
No lawyer will be able to make promises about winning a case or getting a settlement after a car accident — even if that lawyer claims to be the “best” pedestrian accident lawyer DC has to offer. But with an honest and compassionate firm like Cohen and Cohen, P.C., you can be sure that our legal team will fight for every bit of compensation that you deserve.
Because we’re local, and because we’re dedicated to the DC community, our clients receive the some of the too legal counsel that we can provide. To schedule a free consultation at our office with a pedestrian accident lawyer DC deserves to have, call us today.
