More Pedestrian Accidents in Sarasota County
On December 27, 2021, a sedan struck two pedestrians on Palmer Blvd. near Raymond Road. An unidentified 17-year-old was driving the sedan. The driver was traveling west down Palmer Blvd. when the car hit the two pedestrians who were attempting to cross the street. Both pedestrians who were in critical condition were rushed to the Sarasota Memorial Hospital for treatment. One of them was a 67-year-old man from Michigan.
This pedestrian accident is among the 185 pedestrian crashes that happened in Sarasota in 2021. These crashes also resulted in 136 injuries and 24 deaths.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian crashes can be particularly dangerous because even cars traveling at low speeds can cause serious injuries to pedestrians. The fatality rate of pedestrian crashes almost doubles in cases where the vehicle is traveling at 35 miles per hour. Pedestrians who are fortunate enough to survive being hit by a car usually sustain serious or potentially fatal injuries that would need long-term and costly treatments.
There are various potential factors that cause or contribute to pedestrian accidents, and these include:
- Distracted Driving – It is illegal to text while driving in Florida. But a lot of people still do it. Other types of driver distractions include answering and making calls while holding the phone, grooming, eating, talking to passengers, and fiddling with the GPS, among others.
- Driving Faster Than The Speed Limit – Speeding can be especially fatal for pedestrians because they don’t have the same protection that vehicles have. Likewise, even when a pedestrian is focused on the roadway, sometimes there’s simply no way to avoid a crash to avoid getting hit by a speeding vehicle.
- Drunk Driving – Alcohol greatly impairs judgment and reduces reaction time. Pedestrians can get run over by a drunk driver who fails to react in time to prevent a crash or swerves off the roadway because they have lost control of their vehicle.
- Limited Visibility – Pedestrians are significantly smaller than vehicles, so they can be harder to see in bad weather conditions or after dark. Some drivers may also fail to anticipate the presence of a pedestrian when backing out of their driveway or parking spot. It can also be difficult for some drivers who are making a turn to notice pedestrians entering the intersection.
- Inadequate Pedestrian Safety Education – Some pedestrians may think that they’re safe because they legally have the right-of-way in crosswalks. While legally true, accidents do not care about fault and liability, and pedestrians will always lose and suffer the most in pedestrian vs. vehicle crashes. Also, while drivers must always follow traffic rules, not all of them do.
Talk to an Experienced Sarasota Pedestrian Accident Attorney Now
Were you or a loved one hurt in a pedestrian crash? Reach out to the skilled Sarasota pedestrian accident attorneys of Matthews Injury Law as soon as possible. You can find out more about your case, the compensation you’re entitled to, and your legal options moving forward. To set up your free case review with one of our Sarasota pedestrian accident attorneys, please call our office at 941-877-5800 or reach us online.