Walk This Way: Pedestrian Crashes Often Cause Serious Injuries

A pedestrian was critically injured in a Flamingo Road crash when he was hit by a truck. The 54-year-old man from England, whose name has not been released, was crossing Flamingo Road when a commercial Ford truck struck him as it was turning eastbound on a green signal from the left turn lane in Linq Lane. Paul Rosquist, 44, the driver of the truck, was not injured, but the victim was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries. He remains in intensive care. Police are not sure if the driver will be charged and are continuing an investigation into the case.

PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS IN LAS VEGAS—COMMON AND DEADLY

In 2011, there were 23 fatal accidents in Las Vegas with a total of 38 vehicles involved. Drunk drivers caused four of these accidents, or around 17 percent of the crashes. There were a total of 24 fatalities in these accidents with 9 of them being pedestrians. This is an incredibly high number, representing about 38 percent of the total deaths. In most places, pedestrian fatalities make up around 13 percent of all fatalities, so Las Vegas has a pedestrian fatality rate three times higher than the national average. There could be several reasons for this. Las Vegas is a city full of people who are both walking and drinking, especially around the strip, and data shows that pedestrian use of alcohol greatly raises the chances of an accident.

However, no matter how much pedestrians drink or how often they walk, every person has the right to be safe on the streets. If a pedestrian is following traffic rules and he or she is hit by a car, the victim may have the right to collect monetary damages from the responsible driver. According to Nevada law, pedestrians have the right-of-way at crosswalks, both marked and unmarked. However, pedestrians also have a duty to exercise caution when crossing a street and are prohibited from stepping out in front of a car that cannot stop in time to avoid a collision.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM THE VICTIM OF A PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT?

If you are hit by a car, it is very important to get medical help. Once you have been treated for your injuries, consult a personal injury attorney like those at High Stakes Injury Law. A personal injury attorney may be able to help you recover money for your injuries.