Patricia Dora Martin, 82, was killed in a San Diego car accident after she was hit by an SUV while crossing at an intersection. According to a news report in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the fatal pedestrian accident occurred at 30th Street and Howard Avenue in North Park, the afternoon of January 1, 2012. Martin was walking across the intersection when a 2011 Toyota RAV4 driven by a man struck her. Martin suffered massive head injuries. She died about six hours later at a local hospital. Police are still looking into the cause of this fatal collision.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Patricia Dora Martin for their tragic loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Pedestrian Accidents in San Diego
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2009 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were 18 fatalities and 494 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in San Diego. Countywide, 57 people died and 937 were injured due to pedestrian accidents, during the same year.
Crosswalk Law
Based on this news report, Martin was crossing at a street intersection when she was hit by the SUV. Under California law, motorists are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians 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
I trust officials are looking into who was at fault and who failed to yield the right-of-way here. If the driver is determined to have been at fault, then, he can be held liable for the victim’s wrongful death. Families of victims in such cases would be well advised to contact an experienced San Diego personal injury lawyer, who will analyze all aspects of the incident and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable. The best personal injury lawyer will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to injured victims or their families.