When a car accident occurs, the people involved are supposed to move their vehicles to a safe location when possible, call authorities and exchange information. All too often in San Diego, however, the responsible party flees the scene. A hit-and-run accident can be devastating, not only in terms of physical injury but also because the negligent driver may never be brought to justice. Across the county, more and more of these accidents are happening, and they involve pedestrians.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that if a car traveling at 30 miles per hour strikes a pedestrian, he or she only has a 60 percent chance of survival. At just 10 miles an hour faster, the rate of death multiplies by two, and at 50 mph, a pedestrian is not likely to survive.
Across the United States, hit-and-run fatalities are on the rise, according to the NHTSA. In San Diego County, such incidents have already killed 11 people on foot or on a bike in the first six months of this year. That is one more than the yearly average of 10 over the past five years. Southern California is especially problematic, as a study found that in nearly 50 percent of all collisions in Los Angeles in 2009, the driver fled.
It is important that people who are victims of a hit-and-run accident seek professional attention immediately, both medically and legally. An attorney can focus on holding the negligent driver accountable for financial expenses so victims can focus on healing. A personal injury or wrongful death claim can secure compensation for items such as medical expenses and lost wages.
Source: Voice of San Diego, “Where San Diego’s Fatal Hit-and-Runs Happen,” Mario Koran, June 17, 2014
