Pedestrian Accident Leaves Teenage Girl in Critical Condition
It was just a little over a week ago that a teenage girl was struck by an oncoming vehicle as she was walking along Highway 116. The girl, who is a mere 15 years old, is still in critical condition at a hospital near her home in Petaluma, California. It seems that the girl was walking along the highway in order to get to a fireworks show where her friends were meeting her. The fireworks show, however, was on the opposite side of the highway, so the girl waited until she came to a crosswalk and started to the other side of the street. While in the crosswalk, she was struck by a motorist who was unable to brake in time after seeing the girl. The driver of the vehicle is a woman who is approximately 70 years old. She did not suffer any injuries herself and has not yet been charged for hitting the young teenager.
It has not been reported at this time whether or not the elderly woman was speeding as she drove along Highway 116 that day or if she hit the girl above the maximum speed limit of 35 miles per hour. According to residents in the area where the girl was hit, however, this particular portion of Highway 116 is the host of many speeding vehicles on a daily basis. In fact, other pedestrian accidents have reportedly occurred on this same stretch of road in past years. Residents there also note that there have been many close calls in which pedestrians were nearly hit by speeding vehicles in the same crosswalk where this teenager was struck before her chance to enjoy the Fourth of July festivities.
Sometimes it is difficult to say who is at fault in a pedestrian accident. Many people don’t see the difficulty in determining who is at fault in this particular accident: the girl was crossing in a cross walk, after all. However, police are not as sure that the teenager had the right of way. This particular part of Highway 116 is subject to certain engineering defects in which visibility is often negotiated because of the setting sun in the distance. It is very possible that the elderly woman driving the vehicle was unable to see the young girl until mere moments before hitting her, if she saw her at all.
Although drivers are often at fault for pedestrian accidents, it is all too easy to make the wrong assumption that this is always the case. Many times pedestrians cross streets and highways outside of an established crosswalk. Other times pedestrians cross the street at night wearing dark clothing that makes it almost impossible for drivers to see them until it’s too late. Whatever the case may be, it is important for all parties who have been involved in a pedestrian accident to contact a personal injury attorney. San Francisco Personal injury attorneys can help their clients clearly determine who is at fault for any particular pedestrian accident. Once they have helped their clients determine the person at fault, they help victims receive the compensation to which they are entitled following the accident. Also, if you are injured in Los Angeles, consider hiring Los Angeles personal injury attorneys to help you recover lost money from your Los Angeles accident or injury.