California Injury Blog
Taylor Chriswell, 7, was killed in a pedestrian accident in Hesperia. According to a CBS Los Angeles news report, the fatal collision occurred the morning of March 6, 2014 at Peach Street and Sycamore Avenue. Officials say the girl was crossing the street on her way to school when the car, a 2002 Chevy Impala, hit her. Officials do not believe that the driver was speeding or under the influence. Anyone with more information about this crash is asked to contact police at 760-947-1500.
We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of this child who was killed in this pedestrian accident. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2011 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two fatalities and nine injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Hesperia. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 45 people died and 393 were injured due to pedestrian accidents.
What Caused This Accident?
Based on this news report, it appears that the girl was making her way to the school bus stop and crossing the roadway when she was hit. The driver was apparently traveling northbound on Peach. There is a two-way stop at this intersection. Traffic going east and west on Sycamore Avenue must stop and yield to vehicles going north and south on Peach. However, there appears to be no crosswalk at this intersection.
There are several questions here. Who had the right-of-way? How fast was the driver going when he hit the girl? Why is there no crosswalk at an intersection that children cross to get to their school bus stop? Have there been other accidents at this intersection? Have neighbors complained about the dangers of this roadway?
Fault and Liability
If the driver of the Chevy is determined to have been at fault, he or she can be held liable for the child’s wrongful death. An experienced San Bernardino personal injury lawyer will also be able to determine whether a dangerous roadway condition caused or contributed to this accident. If that was the case, the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway can be held liable. Under California Government Code Section 911.2, any personal injury or wrongful death claim must be filed within 180 days of the incident.