Seattle Motor Vehicle Accident Law Blog

When temperatures are pleasant, it is not unusual for people in Seattle to take a walk. Moreover, before too long school will start again, with more children taking to the sidewalks as they walk to school. When pedestrians are on a walk, they often must cross the street to get to where they're going. However, this puts them at risk for being involved in an auto-pedestrian accident.

Motorists may not realize this, but per Washington law motorists must stop for pedestrians at every intersection, even if the intersection is not marked at a crosswalk.

When a person in Seattle is in a car accident these days, they may automatically assume the other driver was using their cellphone when the crash occurred. And, this reasoning is sometimes true. In 2016, 3,450 people lost their lives in a fatal accident in which distracted driving was a factor. In fact, the number of distracted driving fatalities has been trending upwards since 2013. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, across the nation, around nine people lose their lives each day in collisions involving a distracted driver.

Distracted driving is not limited to cellphone use. While texting and driving is an issue in many fatal accidents, talking to other passengers, eating, tuning the radio or GPS or talking on a cellphone are all examples of how a motorist may be distracted while behind the wheel.

Although many of the personal vehicles that Washington residents drive are equipped with the latest and best safety features on the market, it is still possible for victims of car accidents to suffer a range of injuries. This post does not offer any medical or legal advice to its readers, but, rather, introduces them to some of the types of harm that commonly afflict individuals who are hurt in car crashes.

Any part of a person's body can suffer harm in a vehicle accident, and one area that can sustain serious trauma during a collision is the head. When a victim's head hits an internal surface on their car, they may suffer brain trauma. Traumatic brain injuries are linked to pain, cognitive issues, sensory problems, and many other serious health concerns.

Collisions between vehicles and pedestrians are, unfortunately, common and can have devastating results. Just in the last several months, three people were injured when they were hit by an impaired driver in Seattle. Two of the victims were adults, and one was a child.

Many factors influence how serious a victim's injuries will be when they are struck by a car, but it is always tragic when a young child is involved in a crash. While pedestrians generally have a duty to act reasonably when they are on and near Washington roads, child pedestrians may not have the capacity to recognize possible sources of harm and know how to avoid them. The impulsive nature of children may predispose them to dangerous behaviors that may increase their likelihood of being hit by a car.