Recent Stuart Pedestrian Fatality in Line with National Trend of Rising Pedestrian Deaths
Americans have been dying at higher rates on US roads over recent years, and no group has seen a more dramatic rise in fatality rates than pedestrians. The death of a local man earlier this year is just one example of the trend. Learn more about the recent Indian River County pedestrian accident below, and contact an experienced Vero Beach pedestrian accident lawyer for help if you’ve been hurt in a pedestrian accident in Vero Beach.
Naples man hurt in accident
The recent accident occurred along the Northwest U.S. 1 Highway in Stuart, Florida, late in the evening of April 22nd, 2018. A 49-year-old Naples man was crossing the road in the 1900 block of the highway, just north of the Roosevelt Bridge near a location of LA Fitness. The man was crossing in an area where the vehicle speed limit was 45 mph, and not in a designated crosswalk. A Dodge Avenger, carrying a driver and two passengers, hit the man, who was declared dead at the scene of the accident. The Dodge stopped at the scene and spoke with police, who declined to file charges against the driver and found no sign of impairment.
Pedestrian accidents on the rise nationwide
National statistics show that the rate of fatal injuries among pedestrians has risen sharply in the past three years. According to a report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, between 2009 and 2016, pedestrian deaths rose by 46%. A record low number of pedestrians—4,109—died in motor vehicle-related incidents in 2009, while 5,987 died on the road in 2016. This is the highest total number of pedestrian deaths since 1990, when 6,482 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents.
The reasons for the overwhelming rise in pedestrian deaths are not completely clear, though experts have offered several theories. They suggest that, as the economy has improved, more people are driving, offering more opportunities for accidents. Additionally, as Americans have become more health-conscious, more people are commuting on foot rather than by car. Some experts are also convinced that the rise in distracted driving has contributed to the rate of pedestrian fatalities. Drivers using their phones behind the wheel are more likely to glance up at the road only occasionally, making it more likely that they will only see large objects like cars and trucks, and miss smaller objects such as bicyclists and pedestrians.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Florida pedestrian accident, find out if you’re entitled to file a claim for money damages for your injuries by contacting the seasoned and professional Vero Beach personal injury lawyer The Law Office of Keith Bregoff for a free consultation at 772-492-8967.
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