The city of San Diego offers some of the best weather in the country, prompting a number of individuals to spend time outside riding bikes and taking walks. While many people can safely engage in these activities, there are a number of people who suffer catastrophic injuries or even death as a result of a hit-and-run accident or other incident involving a motor vehicle. According to a recent study, these tragedies are particularly prevalent in California.
In 2012, more than 4,700 pedestrians across the country died as a result of being struck by a car. According to federal officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, that number is at a five-year high, and California is a major offender. The state had more pedestrian deaths than any other with 612 fatalities, easily outnumbering the second-place state of Texas, which had 478 such incidents.
Two California cities largely contributed to those numbers in 2012. Los Angeles, with 99 pedestrian deaths, and San Diego, with 22, took two of the top 10 positions on the government agency’s list of dangerous cities. Los Angeles came in second to New York City, and San Diego ranked eighth.
According to the report from NHTSA, the deadliest time of day for pedestrians is between 8 p.m. and midnight, as that is when 32 percent of the incidents occurred. Regardless of when and where an accident happens, it is important that an injured victim or a decedent’s survivors contact an attorney to file a claim seeking compensation to pay for related expenses, such as medical or funeral bills or pain and suffering.
Source: CBS8, “NHTSA: San Diego among top 10 most fatal cities for pedestrians in 2012,” April 25, 2014
