Risks To Pedestrians In San Diego County
Pedestrian accidents are a serious problem throughout San Diego County with 54 fatalities happening in 2013 alone.
A Fox5SanDiego.com story from 2014 noted that the city of San Diego was listed as number eight in the top 10 cities in the United States for pedestrian fatalities in 2012. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New York City and Los Angeles garnered the top two spots on the list that year.
Also last year, an investigation conducted by NBC found that pedestrian deaths in San Diego were at their highest level since 2003. Of particular concern in the report published by NBCSanDiego.com was the fact that more than half of all pedestrian-vehicle accidents in San Diego between 2001 and 2012 happened in designated crosswalks.
A closer look at the statistics
Detailed data from the NHTSA for the year 2013 shows that San Diego County had the third highest number of pedestrian fatalities statewide. Across California, 701 pedestrians died and 54 of those deaths took place in San Diego County. Those 54 fatalities represented a sizeable portion of the county’s total 196 vehicular deaths.
Only Orange County and Los Angeles County experienced more pedestrian deaths with 55 and 191 deaths, respectively. In San Bernardino another 50 pedestrians lost their lives making Southern California clearly a dangerous area for people on foot.
Recent stories throughout the county
A couple walking while pushing their 7-month old baby in a stroller early one Monday morning in Point Loma had their lives changed in an instant. According to NBCSanDiego.com, a vehicle hit the father and the stroller while attempting to make a turn. Both victims sustained serious head injuries and even broken bones. They were taken to hospitals for treatment.
This spring, a woman was struck by a car while out for a jog on a Thursday afternoon in Del Mar. The Del Mar Times notes that the accident occurred on Del Mar Trails Road. The victim was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla where she died the following day.
The Times of San Diego reported on a recent incident on Carlsbad Boulevard near the intersection with Walnut Avenue. A vehicle hit three pedestrians sending all of them to the hospital. One person had to be transported by air due to the seriousness of the injuries. An investigation was initiated in the case.
Accidents can and will happen
Certainly it is important for pedestrians to remain aware of their surroundings and do their best to make themselves easy to see for drivers. However, this cannot prevent every accident. People who are injured or who lose loved ones in serious pedestrian accidents should seek legal help immediately.
Keywords: pedestrian, accident, San Diego