A man was injured in a car crash in Riverside County when a Jeep struck him as he crossed the street. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the pedestrian accident occurred on Stetson Avenue in front of Hemet High School in Hemet the morning of July 25, 2012. Officials say the man was crossing Stetson at Stanford Street when an eastbound Jeep traveling at about 35 mph hit him. The driver said that he could not see the pedestrian until it was too late. The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries. At the time of the report, the driver was not cited for the collision.
My thoughts and prayers are with the man who has been injured in this Hemet pedestrian accident. I wish him the very best for a complete and speedy recovery.
Riverside County Pedestrian Accidents
According to California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities, but 28 injuries reported as a result of pedestrian collisions in Hemet in 2009. During that same year, 87 fatalities and 986 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian collisions in Riverside County.
Crosswalk Law
Based on this news report, this accident occurred at an intersection. It is not clear at this time if the driver failed to yield the right of way to the 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.”
Liability Issues
If the driver in this case is determined to have failed to yield the right of way, then, he can be held liable for the injuries and damages caused here. I trust officials are also looking into whether the driver was under the influence, distracted, inattentive or otherwise negligent at the time. Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and other related damages. If a dangerous roadway condition caused or contributed to the crash, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable. Please remember that any personal injury claim against a governmental entity must be properly filed within 180 days of the incident.