Pedestrian Injury Accidents in Pennsylvania

According to the National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) there were 70,000 reported pedestrian injury accidents or one nearly every eight minutes. Many pedestrian injuries are not reported to the police, therefore, not unaccounted for in the pedestrian injury statistics.

There were 4,654 pedestrian deaths in 2007. Children and the elderly are most at risk.

In Pennsylvania, motorists must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and sidewalks across driveway entrances.

Pedestrians can be injured any number of ways

• drunk drivers
• distracted drivers on their cell phones
• immature/arrogant/nonchalant/elderly drivers
• speeding drivers
• drivers who fail to stop at crosswalks and stop signs or signals
• poorly designed roads and crosswalks
• lack of sidewalks
• drivers of mechanically-failed or recalled vehicles and parts
• drivers who are victims of bad weather - fog, rain, snow, ice, driving into the sun
• by motorcycles and bicycles

If a pedestrian is crossing at a corner without crosswalks, he or she should have the right-of-way. However, pedestrians should simply not assume that crossing at corners is safe and should take extra precautions.

When two vehicles collide, there is protection from seatbelts, airbags, and the vehicles themselves. Motor vehicles are bad but a defenseless victim has no armor or seatbelt to protect them from the impact of a moving vehicle.

If you or a loved one has been severely injured or a loved one has died from a pedestrian accident, contact the Pennsylvania law firm of Welch, Gold & Siegel to find out how they can help.