It’s that time of year again: back to school for millions of children across America. The hustle and bustle of getting your kids packed and on the bus in the morning can be an exciting time. For many parents, however, it can be nerve racking sending their children on a bus, hoping they get to school and back safely.
This year’s first week of school saw two horrifying accidents in Austin where children were hit by a car after stepping off a school bus. A truck making a turn hit one child and a sixteen-year-old driver who ignored the bus’s flashing stop arm hit another. These accidents would not have happened if the law of stopping for a school bus had been observed.
Both accidents were caught on tape as the Austin Independent School District added cameras to the flashing stop signs on their buses. These cameras have resulted in almost 1,000 citations against drivers who did not stop for a school bus in the first week of school—a staggering amount. Last school year, 6,600 drivers were cited for violating the flashing arm signal.
Pedestrian accidents aren’t just limited to school children getting on and off of buses, however.
In 2014, there were 65,000 pedestrians injured and 4,884 killed in the United States. That translates to a pedestrian being injured every eight minutes and killed every two hours in a traffic accident. Texas has the third highest rate of pedestrian fatalities with 476 deaths in 2014.
With that in mind, it’s clear that pedestrians need to be careful when crossing streets, no matter how pedestrian-friendly an area may be. Everybody seems to be in a hurry these days, and it’s critical to be aware of your surroundings, especially when distracted driving is the number one cause of accidents.
Although we all have the ability to drive with safety in mind and be cautious and aware of pedestrians, none of us is immune to becoming the victim of a pedestrian accident. We simply cannot control how others operate their motor vehicle. Negligent drivers are everywhere, and the causes are most often preventable. From driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs to driver inattentiveness and speeding, drivers need to be held accountable when they hit a pedestrian.
Thousands of pedestrians are involved in motor vehicle accidents each year, with children and senior citizens the most vulnerable. The most common causes of pedestrian injuries or fatalities include the following:
Negligence is serious. As the recent schoolchildren accidents demonstrate, there’s no excuse for failing to pay attention to people who are lawfully in or crossing the road. Pedestrians hit by motor vehicles can file a claim against the driver or negligent person involved and recover damages that can help pay for medical expenses, lost wages, and even wrongful death.
It’s important to get the help you need after being injured in a pedestrian accident. The Austin pedestrian accident lawyers of Colley & Colley, LLP are here to help you recover damages for your injuries or wrongful death of a loved one. We will evaluate your claim and aggressively seek the compensation you deserve. Call us today at 512-477-2001 or complete the form below to have someone from our office contact you.
15511 W Highway 71
Suite 110-142
Austin, TX 78738
(512) 477-2001
512-477-3335
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