Most metropolitan areas in Washington, like Seattle or Tacoma, can seem like bustling hives of activity on many days of the week, with pedestrians, bicyclists and motor vehicles all seemingly in a hurry to get from “here to there.” Unfortunately for pedestrians, statistics seem to show that urban areas present a higher danger for the potential for accidents that cause injury or even death.
When and where is the danger?
In fact, statistics from the National Safety Council show that in one recent year, 2021, a whopping 84% of pedestrian deaths occurred in urban areas in America. But, in a twist that might seem counterintuitive, over three times as many pedestrian deaths occurred on the open road areas as opposed to at intersections.
In another twist, NSC statistics also show that most pedestrian deaths occurred on Fridays, followed closely by Saturdays, for some reason. And, in what is perhaps no surprise at all, the majority of pedestrian deaths that occurred in that year occurred at night or in darker visibility conditions.
Many urban developers these days are looking more toward “mixed use” developments, where residential, commercial and retail uses are all mixed together in an area of a city. While that may be great for economic purposes, the reality is that the more pedestrians there are in an area, the higher the likelihood of an auto-pedestrian collision.
Recourse after a pedestrian accident
If you have been injured in this type of collision, you may be able to seek compensation in a personal injury lawsuit. Such a case would depend on the facts in any given situation, so be sure to get the right information about your available options.