Category: Pedestrian Accidents

Hit-and-run accidents are a serious problem in Phoenix and across the rest of the nation. Though it is illegal for a driver involved in a collision to leave the scene, it happens every day in the Valley, and often with serious results. Fleeing drivers who are later apprehended tend to face more severe charges by police and local authorities. In addition to any citations they would have received had they remained at the scene, these drivers are often charged additional for fleeing, a crime in Arizona. If the hit-and-run collision leaves a person injured or killed, the penalties facing a fleeing driver can be severe and often include incarceration.

The reasons behind the stiff punishments and penalties are clear: hit-and-run accidents are a serious problem and they often lead to fatal crashes. This is because in many accidents, a victim or victims may be too injured to call for help themselves and instead must rely on others to do so. But if the only other person involved in a collision flees, there may be no one to call for help, significantly delaying or eliminating a victim’s ability to receive medical attention in a timely fashion. This can lead to a worsening of injuries or even can result in death of a victim who may otherwise have survived if help had been obtained immediately. Whatever the results of a crash, fleeing the scene is not only against Arizona law, but it is also a real threat to the safety of all those who may be victims.

In the event that you are involved in a hit-and-run accident, the laws in Phoenix may entitle you to relief. This is true whether or not the fleeing driver is ever located and apprehended as the laws are designed to help the victims of crashes in any situation. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer who has experience representing car accident victims may help you understand your legal options and whether you have a valid claim for your damages if you have been involved in a collision.

Police in Phoenix were called to the scene of a hit-and-run accident last night between an automobile and a pedestrian. Unfortunately, the injuries sustained by the pedestrian were too severe and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police believe that a car approached the area of 3200 West Indian School Road around 9:30 p.m., the same area where the pedestrian was walking. For reasons that are not yet clear, the driver of the vehicle struck the walker and then fled the scene without stopping to alert authorities or to see if the pedestrian was injured. At this time, police do not know the make or model of the vehicle involved and they have not been able to determine who was operating the vehicle at the time of the collision. Anyone with information regarding the accident is being asked to call the Phoenix Police Department regarding the crash.
Continue reading “Hit-And-Run in Phoenix Leaves Pedestrian Dead”

A crosswalk is an area for pedestrians to cross a street or other path generally used by vehicles. When they are in a crosswalk, pedestrians generally have the right-of-way, meaning that vehicles in the area must yield to the pedestrians and wait until they have cleared the area before the vehicle can proceed. Failing to adhere to this right-of-way can lead to collisions between vehicles and people and almost always leads to injuries among those pedestrians who are hit. When compared to the size and weight of a car, a pedestrian does not stand much of a chance in a collision.

There are times where a pedestrian may not have the right-of-way in a crosswalk and may have to yield to a vehicle. Many of these situations occur at intersections controlled by both traffic lights and pedestrian lights. In those cases, pedestrians are only authorized to cross when the pedestrian light indicates it is safe to do so. Crossing at any other time may violate a vehicle’s right-of-way.

Though it is possible for a pedestrian to be at-fault for a crash with a vehicle, in the majority of accidents, the driver of the vehicle is the one to properly blame. Drivers who are distracted or who otherwise fail to pay attention to the road and to traffic may not notice a pedestrian or may fail to yield, potentially causing a crash. When a driver is negligence and an accident occurs, any pedestrian injured in that crash may be entitled to seek financial relief for the damages they incurred. Speaking with an injury lawyer who handles cases involving pedestrian accidents is the best way to understand whether you are entitled to compensation.

Police in Gilbert have reported a tragic accident involving two pedestrians and an SUV that occurred on Saturday evening. Reportedly, a husband and wife were walking in a pedestrian crosswalk on their way to volunteer as tour guides at the new temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on South Greenfield Road. An SUV in the area reportedly collided with the couple while they were within the crosswalk and drove over the woman, trapping her underneath. Her husband and several passersby in the area picked up the SUV and removed it from the woman, freeing her body so that she could be transported to an area hospital. As of Sunday evening, the woman’s condition remained critical and it was not clear whether she would survive.

Police have not yet determined why the SUV and the pedestrians collided and whether negligence or impairment played a factor in the crash but they are continuing to investigate all possible scenarios.
Continue reading “SUV Strikes Husband and Wife while they Walked to Volunteer”

Drivers commonly know that in many situations, pedestrians have the right-of-way over vehicles where authorized by law. This means that drivers are required to let pedestrians proceed first before advancing their vehicles so that everyone remains safe and collisions can be avoided. Pedestrians who are involved in accidents with cars are very likely to suffer injuries so looking out for the safety of those walking is very important to everyone in Phoenix and in Arizona.

Pedestrian accidents usually result from the failure either of a pedestrian or of a driver to observe the rules of the road. For example, a pedestrian who crosses traffic without the right-of-way may be liable for a crash and a driver who does not yield to a pedestrian while turning right may also be responsible. Some accidents can be difficult to determine which individual, if any, were liable and who should be found at-fault in the crash. Speaking with a lawyer who represents pedestrian injury victims may be the best way to understand the legal implications of a crash, including whether you may be entitled to financial compensation for your damages.

An accident occurred in Tucson on Wednesday afternoon between an SUV and three pedestrians with police suspecting that the driver was at-fault for the crash. According to authorities and witnesses, the driver of the SUV was backing up into a parking spot outside a fast food restaurant on University Boulevard when the driver failed to stop. The SUV backed up too far and jumped the curb, colliding with an outdoor bench and pushing it towards the restaurant’s storefront.

Three people were on the sidewalk at the time of the incident and were hurt. The extent of their injuries is not currently known but all were expected to survive. It is also not clear whether a direct collision with the SUV caused their injuries or if they were hurt by the moving bench.

Local police responded to the scene and conducted an initial investigation with follow up continuing at this time. Through their investigation, police hope to learn why the driver failed to stop and why the driver struck the bench, leading to the injuries that resulted.
Continue reading “Parking Lot Crash in Tucson Leaves 3 Pedestrians Injured”

Arizona drivers are legally required to follow the rules of the road, exercise caution, and put safety first as they drive, meaning that they do not have the right to ignore others in the area. Yet hundreds of accidents occur every year between vehicles and pedestrians because a driver failed to pay attention and failed to acknowledge the rights of the pedestrian, leading to accidents that almost always result in injuries.

When a crash between a car and a person occurs, the pedestrian will suffer the brunt of the impact because there is nothing surrounding that person to absorb a collision. The large, heavy design of cars means that a pedestrian who is hit will be injured more often than not, often critically or even fatally.

Pedestrian injury lawyers in Phoenix and Arizona understand that these collisions can be the fault of the driver, the pedestrian, or both, depending on the facts of a specific crash. But when a collision occurs at a crosswalk, fault usually lies with the driver.

That appears to be the case in a Saturday collision in Tucson that left a 28-year-old man dead. Police believe that the man, a pedestrian, was crossing East Speedway Boulevard within a crosswalk when he was hit by a pickup truck driven by a 74-year-old man. Witnesses reported that the elderly driver left the scene of the crash without stopping but eventually returned to the accident after he was followed by other drivers who got the elderly man’s attention.

It is not yet clear what caused the collision to occur or why the 74-year-old left the scene but police believe that the man was at fault for the crash which caused the death of the pedestrian. As such, the elderly man has been arrested and faces charges of second degree murder in connection with the collision.
Continue reading “Pedestrian Dies After Car Crash with Elderly Driver”

On Sunday night, Phoenix police received notice of a collision between two cars at the intersection of McDowell and 15th Avenue. When police officers responded to the scene, though, they found not only two cars with victims inside but also a pedestrian victim who was hit and killed by a light pole as a result of the crash.

Police are still investigating the accident and trying to determine fault but at this time, it appears that a car traveling southbound on 15th Avenue collided with a car traveling eastbound on McDowell. One of the cars ran a red light and entered the intersection against traffic, causing the crash, but both drivers are claiming that the other one ran the light. The two cars collided in the intersection, causing a significant impact that made one of the drivers lose control of the vehicle, spinning out into traffic and striking a light pole on the corner.

Police believe that a 25-year-old man was standing near that light pole at the time of the crash and may have been walking away from the intersection when the car hit the pole. The impact with the light pole caused it to fall to the ground, striking the 25-year-old pedestrian and critically injuring him. He died on the scene and police believe that he may not have seen the pole falling towards him.

At least one of the two cars had a passenger and it appears that all drivers and the passenger were transported to area hospitals for treatment of minor injuries. All are expected to survive. Neither driver has been issued a ticket at this point as police officers have not determined which vehicle caused the crash. However, in addition to a citation for running a red light, the at-fault driver may face charges related to the pedestrian’s death which could result in time behind bars, if the at-fault driver is convicted of any charges.

It appears that the victim in this case did nothing wrong and rather was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet if the responsible driver had stopped for the red light as required by law, the 25-year-old pedestrian would still be alive. Traffic accidents are often unintentional but are the result of negligence on the part of one or more drivers. Too often, being careless or distracted behind the wheel leads to a collision that causes serious injuries or even death. In the event that a driver causes an accident, that driver may be financially responsible to any victims for any damages that result.
Continue reading “Red Light Crash Causes Pedestrian’s Death”

An early Saturday morning crash between a driver and a pedestrian left the pedestrian dead in Phoenix. Police have stated that both people involved, the driver and the pedestrian, may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time.

The incident occurred near 20th Avenue and Indian School Road in the early morning hours. Friends say a 25-year-old man was walking in the road and exposing his buttocks to passing drivers to “moon” them. The friends reportedly tried to get the man out of the road but the man refused and continued walking, at times laying down in the road.

Eventually, a 48-year-old passing driver came upon the pedestrian and a collision between the two occurred. The 48-year-old driver was also reportedly under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the incident and it is not clear whether he was injured in the crash. The 25-year-old pedestrian was critically injured and transported to a local hospital, where he later died.

Area police responded to the crash and began investigating. After determining that the driver may have been under the influence, police arrested the man and charged him with aggravated DUI. They have not said whether the man is facing any additional charges related to the death of the pedestrian or what the results of toxicity screens revealed about either man involved.

Under Arizona law, when a victim is injured or killed by the negligence of another, the victim or victim’s family may be able to bring a claim for a financial recovery. Even if the victim bears some of the blame for the accident, there may still be the ability of monetary damages. In this accident, if the facts alleged are proven, then the victim will likely bear some, but not all, of the fault.
Continue reading “Pedestrian Mooning Passing Cars Hit and Killed by Drunk Driver”

When plans for the city’s light rail were first announced, there was no shortage of skeptics living in Phoenix, and this skepticism remained through the early stages of construction and into the initial operations of the public transit system. Now, nearly five years after it accepted its first riders, the light rail is set to pass all original expectations regarding use and occupancy.

The light rail has provided a needed service downtown and has helped the revitalization efforts of the area. Without it, more people would be forced to commute and travel by private car, leading to increased traffic, greater gasoline consumption, and higher smog rates throughout the valley. Though with the recognition of all the added benefits provided by the light rail, there is one safety concern that should not be overlooked: riders are jaywalking at increasing rates, placing themselves and drivers at danger for collisions in Phoenix. Not only are some people crossing busy streets in areas outside of crosswalks, some are even crossing the light rail tracks themselves at unauthorized points in an attempt to save a few moments walking.

Aware of this increasing threat, a local news crews interviewed some jaywalkers in the area of the light rail downtown. Many admitted to repeatedly jaywalking while others claimed it was their first time. Most seemed to think it was not a big deal and claimed that a lack of enforcement by police supported this position.

The Phoenix Police Department’s Transit Enforcement Unit disagrees with this latter claim and states that they do issue a large number of citations for jaywalking around and across the light rail tracks. Tickets start at $75 and increase to as much as $500, depending on the circumstances.

Metro Light Rail has started a campaign called “Dying to Get There” in an effort to increase awareness of the dangers associated with crossing the tracks. It spreads the message to the community and school-aged children.

With only four police officers assigned to the entire bus and light rail system, enforcement of jaywalking rules can be difficult. There were 132 pedestrians killed in accidents in Arizona in 2012 and that number is likely to climb if jaywalking continues to increase. Not only do jaywalkers place themselves at risk, but they also put the safety of law-abiding pedestrians in danger as well as the safety of motorists. As jaywalking pedestrians become more common, drivers are more likely to see them as a nuisance that should be avoided, increasing the chance that motorists will drive erratically and dangerously to speed up or avoid a crossing pedestrian. This behavior is likely to carry over to situations where pedestrians are lawfully crossing the street and makes these pedestrians more likely to be involved in an accident.
Continue reading “Jaywalking is an Increasing Threat to Safety in Phoenix”

Faced with an increasing number of pedestrian accidents and pedestrian fatalities every year, the Phoenix Police Department is starting a new program to increase awareness of pedestrian safety issues among those on foot as well as drivers in the city. Dubbed Corner 2 Corner, the program began this week and will include three weeks of activities around the city.

The goal is to prevent pedestrian versus vehicle collisions from occurring and therefore eliminating any injuries or deaths those accidents cause. With fewer crashes, fewer citizens will lose their lives and the economic losses can be limited.

Within the city limits of Phoenix, there are over 500 collisions between pedestrians and automobiles every year with over 300 of those, or about 60 percent, causing injuries to the pedestrian. These injuries range from minor cuts and bruises to debilitating and crippling injuries, as well as death. In fact, over 40 of the pedestrian versus vehicle crashes result in death to the pedestrian every year.

Some of these crashes are caused by the negligence of a pedestrian but others occur when a driver is negligent. A spokesperson for the Phoenix Police Department stated that many of these crashes happen when a pedestrian crosses in the middle of a block instead of a designated crosswalk, when pedestrians ignore safety around public transportation stops like for buses and the light rail, and when drivers fail to yield to pedestrians as they cross the street or other areas. As these crashes can be caused by drivers or walkers, the campaign aims to encourage both groups to exercise safety. Pedestrians are encouraged not to cross mid block and to always look before entering a street while drivers are asked to remember that pedestrians can be anywhere and that they should drive accordingly.
Continue reading “Phoenix Launches New Pedestrian Safety Campaign”

The chances of being killed in a pedestrian collision has seen an increase over the last few years in the United States. The federal government is reporting that there was an increase of 4% in pedestrian deaths from 2009 to 2010.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that 4,280 people on foot were killed by motor vehicles in 2010. On average a pedestrian was killed every two hours Surprisingly, the government reports that almost 80% of the fatalities in 2010 occurred outside of intersections. In my experience, most accidents I work with happen within the four corners of an intersection. This higher death rate statistic could be due to the fact that motor vehicles traveler higher speeds outside of intersections.

Almost 90% occurred in good weather conditions, almost 70% of the victims were males and 68% of the accidents occurred at night. Not surprisingly, alcohol was a factor in 47% of all fatal accidents either for the driver or for the pedestrian.

Here’s another fact. Arizona made the top five states for fatal pedestrian collisions in 2010. The top four states were 1. California (599), 2. Florida (487), 3. Texas (345), 4. New York (303). In Arizona, according to ADOT, 155 pedestrians were killed in 2010.

There is definitely a pattern here. Four out of the five top are warm weather states. New York was the only exception, however they have a huge population and NYC is a dangerous place to be a pedestrian. The logical conclusion here would be that people spend more time walking around outside in warmer weather states, as compared to cold-weather states.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the four states with the least pedestrian deaths were Wyoming (3), Vermont (4), Alaska (6) and North Dakota(7). All cold-weather states.

Like the Nation, Arizona has seen an increase in pedestrian deaths as of late. In 2009, 122 pedestrians were killed. That number increased to 155 and 154 in the years 2010 and 2011.

In 2011, there were a total of 1,507 pedestrian accidents, and in those accidents 1,253 were injured. Due to the fact that pedestrians are unprotected, injuries in these accidents can be severe. Victims often incur head trauma, fractures, and spinal cord injuries, to name a few.

As I said above, alcohol often plays a role in many of these collisions. However, so does driver inattentiveness. Motorists look to protect themselves first. They pay close attention to other cars and trucks on the roadway, but then they fail to keep a proper lookout for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Left turning vehicles have a history of striking pedestrians in crosswalks. A driver pulls out into an intersection on a green light waiting for traffic to clear and turn left. When there is an opening, they rapidly accelerate and fail to observe crossing pedestrians in the crosswalk.

Distracted drivers are also known for hitting pedestrians. Not too long ago, lawyers at our office worked on a case where a texting driver lost control of a vehicle, drove up onto a sidewalk and struck to pedestrians who were walking out of a convenience store.
Continue reading “Increase in pedestrian accident fatalities in Arizona and across the Nation”

A man is currently being treated in a Phoenix area hospital with life-threatening injuries after being involved in a pedestrian accident. He was hit by a car on Monday evening while crossing a street on the North side of the city.

The incident occurred just west of the intersection of 19th Ave. and Union Hills Drive. The Phoenix Fire Department responded to the accident and upon arrival they found a man lying in the road. A police spokesman stated the pedestrian was struck by a vehicle, but no other information was available.

There have been several accidents involving pedestrians lately in the Phoenix area. One collision unfortunately involved a three-year-old. The child was struck by a vehicle while walking with her mother. The incident occurred around 5 PM on December 28 at Central Avenue and McDowell Road. The toddler was transported by ambulance to an area hospital.

In another accident, a 55-year-old pedestrian was killed crossing Yuma Road in Buckeye. The collision occurred on December 21 and the victim was transported by helicopter for medical care. However, the woman succumbed to her injuries in the hospital two days later.

According to federal statistics, Phoenix has the fourth highest percentage of pedestrian deaths out of all major cities in the United States. NYC has the highest percentage.

In Arizona, there were just over 1,500 pedestrian accidents in 2011. Unfortunately, most of these crashes resulted in injuries. These collisions led to 154 pedestrian fatalities and 1253 injuries.

While someone walking can be struck by a car in any setting, most pedestrian collisions occur in urban areas such as Phoenix where there is heavy pedestrian traffic. People on foot often find themselves sharing busy intersections with commuters, buses, taxi cabs and out-of-towners driving rental cars.

If you have been hurt after being struck by a vehicle while crossing the street, it’s recommended that you contact an experienced Arizona pedestrian accident attorney for a free consultation. You may have the right to obtain monetary damages for your injuries. Pedestrian victims can recover for pain and suffering, lost wages, medical expenses and other losses.
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