A 90-year-old man was killed in a Santa Ana pedestrian accident after he was hit by a pickup truck.
According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the fatal crash occurred early morning on May 5, 2014 in a marked crosswalk near East Hobart and Oak street.
A 2003 Toyota driven by a female driver in her 50s, struck the man.
The driver stopped and remained at the scene.
The victim’s family told police
that the man typically walked in the morning in that area, which is home to a bike trail.
Signs and markings on the roadway warn drivers about crossing bike and pedestrian traffic.
Police say alcohol or speed do not seem to have been factors.
The victim was transported to an area hospital where he died shortly afterward. No citations or arrests were reported.
The investigation is ongoing.
We offer our heartfelt sympathies to the family members and friends of this deceased pedestrian accident victim. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to the California Highway Patrol’s 2011 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were seven fatalities and 139 injuries involving pedestrian collisions in Santa Ana.
In Orange County as a whole, 38 people died and 773 were injured due to pedestrian accidents during the same year.
Crosswalk Law
Based on this news report, it appears that the pedestrian was walking in a marked crosswalk in an area where bike and pedestrian traffic is to be expected.
Furthermore, under California law, drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians walking in marked and unmarked crosswalks.
California Vehicle Code section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.”
The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.”
Fault and Liability
If the driver is determined to have been at fault here, she could be held liable for the victim’s wrongful death.
Such claims usually seek monetary compensation for damages such as medical bills, funeral costs, lost future income and loss of love and companionship.