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Combatting High Pedestrian Death Rate in San Diego – Are Pedestrians on Their Own?

San Diego pedestrian deaths are climbing.

San Diego is a beautiful place to live, work and visit. It takes deserved pride in being a progressive, healthy, outdoors-oriented city that is full of walkers, runners, bikers, and strolling tourists. But one of the chilling, lesser known facts about this lovely city is its high pedestrian death rate.

Reports suggest city administrators are not doing enough to make America’s Finest City safe for pedestrians. If you spend any time on San Diego’s city streets, you know it is lacking in crosswalks and sidewalks, and it is choked with traffic. In such conditions, the assistance of a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer can be crucial for those who have experienced an accident navigating through these challenging urban spaces.

The lack of pedestrian friendliness has led in part to nine pedestrians being killed by drivers in this city since January 2018. That’s right. There have already been nine pedestrians killed in San Diego, and we are not even through March yet.

Pedestrian deaths are no doubt a major issue for the entire country, with 5,376 killed across the US in 2015. That is the reason there is a national campaign known as Vision Zero. It is dedicated to ending all fatalities related to traffic accidents by 2025. The good news is there have been noticeable improvements in some cities, such as San Francisco and New York City. Lower speed limits and various traffic-calming measures have helped to lower the traffic fatality rate. In spite of these advancements, families of victims often seek the assistance of a wrongful death lawyer to navigate through legal proceedings following such tragic incidents.

But Vision Zero in San Diego has not produced appreciable results yet. In fact, the program does not seem to be particularly well administered here. For example, the Vision Zero online portal lacks the traffic-related features promised. Nor is the task force very active.

San Diego is not that different from Los Angeles in that the motor vehicle is king. Major problems causing more pedestrian fatalities here include lack of crosswalks. But pedestrians themselves often are not helping matters by not using the crosswalks that are available. In instances where crossing becomes an unfortunate incident, reaching out to a vehicle accident lawyer
might be essential. If you drive at all on University Avenue in City Heights or Chatsworth Boulevard in Loma Portal, you know that pedestrians must take risks to get across the street.

The city did recently propose spending $5 million to make City Heights more pedestrian friendly. The City Council has approved a plan to add bike lanes, improve sidewalks and improve crosswalks. Hopefully, these improvements will lead to better pedestrian safety and fewer deaths and injuries — and soon. In the unfortunate event of a pedestrian accident, contacting a personal injury lawyer can provide you with the necessary legal assistance.

Checklist for San Diego Pedestrian Accident Victims

If you are hurt in a pedestrian accident in San Diego, remember these tips:

  • See a physician immediately. You will probably have obvious injuries, but not necessarily. Some serious injuries do not show themselves for days or even weeks. To protect your future claim, see a doctor right away.
  • Follow his or her advice. If the doctor says do not go to work, don’t go to work! You should always follow their advice; if you do not, you could jeopardize your future personal injury lawsuit.
  • Write down everything about the accident. Note everything about the car accident you recall as soon as you can. Details can quickly fade from memory.
  • Talk to a southern California personal injury attorney. Insurance companies thrive on laymen trying to handle their own pedestrian accident claims. You will probably settle for far less than you should.

Talk to a San Diego Attorney Today About Your Pedestrian Accident Case

Pedestrian accidents resulting in death are far too common in San Diego. If you have lost a loved one in this devastating accident, you face tremendous emotional and financial loss. You may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, loss of companionship, lost future earnings of your loved one, and more.  For a complimentary consultation about your pedestrian accident case, please contact us at Neale & Fhima by calling (888)407-2955.

Attorney Aaron Fhima

Aaron Fhima, California attorneyAaron Fhima is a trial attorney who has secured numerous settlements and verdicts against large corporations and some of the largest auto manufacturers in the world. Representing consumers and injury victims throughout the state of California, Aaron’s practice areas include personal injury, and lemon law litigation. Aaron has a long record of success taking on large defense firms; and he doesn’t hesitate to take cases to trial when necessary to enforce his clients’ rights. [ Attorney Bio ]

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