When a car hits another vehicle, the driver and passengers have some safety because they are inside a vehicle. A pedestrian, on the other hand, is much more vulnerable. Their body receives the full blow of the impact.
The Governors Highway Safety Association found that approximately 7,500 pedestrian deaths in the United States last year happened because of drivers. It is the highest number of pedestrian deaths they have ever been recorded since 1981. Pedestrians all over the country are becoming a statistic, and it is generating a morbid population parameter.
What is the leading cause of pedestrian deaths?
Pedestrian traffic accidents are more likely in busy metropolitan areas like Las Vegas. In fact, the Nevada Office of Traffic and Safety reported that Las Vegas had the highest number of car accidents in the entire state of Nevada.
A significant factor in the prevalence of pedestrian deaths is the increasing number of SUVs on the road. These bigger vehicles can cause more devastating damage to the human body. Furthermore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2019, about 46% of car accidents resulting in pedestrian death involved alcohol.
Alcohol impairs an individual’s ability to make sound judgments and react quickly to dangerous situations. A drunk driver is more prone to speeding and driving recklessly. A drunk driver driving an SUV can quickly kill an unsuspecting pedestrian crossing the road in the middle of the night.
Fight for your right of way
Pedestrians should not be afraid to cross the road, especially when they have the legal “right of way.” If a car hits a pedestrian in Nevada and the pedestrian is fortunate enough to survive, they can pursue a personal injury claim. Nevada has a Statute of Limitations of two years for people who suffer injuries from an accident. If you lost a loved one and they have become part of the statistic, you can still recover justice through a wrongful death lawsuit.