An 89-year-old woman suffered major injuries in a Glendale car crash after a motorist struck her. According to a news article in The Glendale News-Press, the major injury collision occurred the evening of September 23, 2012 at the intersection of California and South Glendale avenues. Police say the woman was walking east in the California Avenue crosswalk when the motorist who was traveling west to South Glendale struck her. She suffered major body trauma including a broken leg and upper body bone fractures. Preliminary investigations show that the motorist failed to yield the right-of-way to the woman at the crosswalk. The investigation is ongoing.
My thoughts and prayers are with the injured victim of this pedestrian accident. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2010 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), three fatalities and 93 injuries occurred involving pedestrian accidents in Glendale. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 195 people died and 4,535 were injured due to pedestrian collisions, during the same year.
Crosswalk Laws
Based on this news account, the accident occurred at a street intersection with clearly marked crosswalks. Police say the driver appears to have failed to yield the right of way to the elderly pedestrian. 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, then, he or she can be held liable for the injuries and damages caused here. Injured victims can seek compensation from the at-fault driver for damages including medical expenses, lost earnings, hospitalization and rehabilitation costs. A knowledgeable Los Angeles personal injury attorney will be able to determine whether a dangerous condition on the roadway caused or contributed to the incident. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable. Any personal injury claim against a governmental entity must be filed within 180 days of the incident under California Government Code Section 911.2.