California Injury Blog
A teenager suffered injuries in an October 5, 2009 Los Angeles car accident after she was hit by the driver of a pickup truck in a crosswalk in La Puente. According to a news report in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, two teenage girls were walking on Nelson Avenue and were in a crosswalk when a white truck came toward them. One of the girls was able to dodge the vehicle, but the other was hit. She was transported to an area hospital with injuries. The suspect who then fled the scene, is described as a Latino man between 21 and 25 years of age with dark hair. He was apparently driving a newer model white Toyota Tacoma. If you have information about this incident, please call the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department at 626-330-3322.
I’m relieved that this teen did not suffer any catastrophic injuries in this crash and I wish her a speedy and complete recovery. She will certainly be in my prayers.
Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities but 15 injuries involving California pedestrian accidents in La Puente. In Los Angeles County as a whole, 210 fatalities and 5,095 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007.
I trust the driver, who hit this young girl and left her injured on the roadway, will soon be apprehended and brought to justice. Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious crime in California. According to California Vehicle Code section 20001: “The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to a person, other than himself or herself, or in the death of a person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident.”
California Car Accident Laws
The law also states motorists should yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are walking in a marked crosswalk. 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.”
In such cases, where negligence and wrongdoing are apparent, victims and their families would be well-advised to consult with an experienced Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, who will fight for their rights and make sure the wrongdoers are held accountable for their actions. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will also be able to advise victims about how their own car insurance policy will apply to a case that involves a hit-and-run driver or an uninsured/underinsured motorist.
The Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.