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January 5, 2021
Pedestrian accidents still occur in crosswalks, notwithstanding the safety measures that exist to protect people trying to cross. Some drivers simply do not pay enough attention, making crosswalks nearly every bit as dangerous as the street itself.
Pedestrian accidents are increasing in the United States and in Nevada. In fact, Nevada ranks as the fifth-worst state in the entire country in terms of pedestrian fatalities. In the United States, a pedestrian is killed every 88 minutes.
Even where pedestrians have crosswalks in busy places near the Las Vegas Strip, they are still not completely safe. Below are some reasons why crosswalks are not completely safe for pedestrians. If you are involved in a pedestrian crash, contact a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer today.
Crosswalk safety depends on other drivers following the legal requirement that they stop with pedestrians in them. However, drivers do not always follow the law. In Nevada, failure to yield at a crosswalk is punished with a fine starting at $250. The law even allows for jail time of up to six months. Nonetheless, the requirement to yield at a crosswalk is just one of many traffic laws that drivers do not follow at times.
Drivers fail to yield at crosswalks for a number of reasons. They can include:
The truth is that many drivers are not paying enough attention to stop when they see a pedestrian in the crosswalk. They could simply just be in a hurry and not want to break for anyone. Pedestrians could be even more at risk in a crosswalk because they let their guard down while the driver does nothing to slow down.
In some cases, the municipality or local government has not marked the crosswalk well enough for drivers to see. Pedestrians might have the expectation of safety, but if drivers cannot see the crosswalk, it puts the pedestrians in even more danger once they have been encouraged to enter the street.
Just because crosswalks are there does not mean that they are safe. It is up to both the government to property mark them and the drivers to follow the law. Pedestrians must rely on others for their own safety. However, they could end up injured because of the negligence of others.
In all the above instances, someone other than the pedestrian would be at fault for the accident. In these cases, injured pedestrians could seek financial compensation for their injuries. Here, you would work with a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer to file a claim. You could be compensated for:
If you or a loved one have been injured as a pedestrian, the Las Vegas personal injury attorneys at Breeden Malpractice & Injury Law could help you seek payment for your injuries. Call us today at 702-577-1428 or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation. We help injured clients in Nevada and Arizona.
7432 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 101, Las Vegas, NV 89117