Recent Accident in Line with Rise in Pedestrian Fatalities
An accident in Suffolk County has resulted in fatal injuries to one woman and serious injuries to her child. The pedestrian casualties are in line with a trend of growing numbers of pedestrian deaths on US roads. Contact a Goshen personal injury lawyer if you’ve been hurt in a pedestrian accident and need help recovering compensation for your injuries.
Woman and child hit by sedan
The recent accident happened on Saturday, December 23, 2017, at approximately 5:00 pm. A 31-year-old woman and her 7-year-old daughter were on foot, crossing the street on Horseblock Road in Yaphank. As the mother and child stepped into the street, a Hyundai Elantra being driven east on Horseblock by a 60-year-old Shirley resident collided with the woman and girl. The mother was transported to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue, where she succumbed to her injuries. Her daughter suffered critical injuries in the crash and was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment. The driver was not injured and has not been charged with a crime at this time. Suffolk County police are continuing to investigate the accident.
Pedestrian fatalities rising at higher rate than other traffic fatalities
Traffic fatalities have been on the rise since 2014. Between 2014 and 2016, deaths in motor vehicle accidents have risen by 14.4%. However, pedestrian fatalities have risen at an even faster rate. In 2016 alone, pedestrian accidents went up by 9%, and deaths among pedestrians have risen 22% since 2014. Many experts believe that the rise in pedestrian fatalities is attributable to distracted driving, specifically cell phone use behind the wheel. Studies have found that over 80% of all Americans now own smart phones, and that over 80% of drivers activate their phones at some point during the average car ride. When drivers are using their phones while driving, they tend to glance up from their phones at the road only briefly, and without completing a full scan of the road. These brief scans allow them to see oncoming trucks and cars, but often results in them missing smaller objects like people or bike riders, resulting in the rise in pedestrian fatalities. Victims of these accidents can use evidence of driver distraction as support for a claim for negligence and money damages after an accident.
If you’ve been hurt in a Hudson Valley pedestrian accident, find out if you’re entitled to damages from a personal injury lawsuit by contacting the seasoned, effective, and dedicated personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Taran M. Provost, PLLC in Mahopac at 646-942-7827.