California Injury Blog
A teenage boy was struck and critically injured in a Fullerton pedestrian accident while crossing the street. According to a news report in Patch.com, the major injury collision occurred in the early morning hours of June 29 in the 900 block of North Placentia Avenue. The boy was transported to an area hospital with major injuries. Police say preliminary investigations show a black 2017 Nissan Sentra driven by a 45-year-old woman was going south on Placentia just north of Nutwood Avenue when it struck the pedestrian who was crossing eastbound on Placentia Avenue outside a crosswalk.
The motorist remained at the scene and talked to police. Her name was not released. At this time, police say alcohol or drugs don’t seem to be factors in this collision. The investigation is ongoing and anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Placentia police at 714-738-5313.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the teenager who has apparently suffered critical and possibly life threatening injuries in this crash. We wish him the very best for a quick and full recovery.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
There were four fatalities and 57 injuries reported in the city of Fullerton as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2014, according to California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In Orange County as a whole, 47 people died and 764 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents during the same year.
Laws Involving Pedestrians
Based on this news report and the preliminary investigation, it appears that the teen was crossing outside of a crosswalk. However, the law still requires motorists to use care and caution and keep pedestrian safety in mind.
California Vehicle Code Section 21954 states: “Every pedestrian upon a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway so near as to constitute an immediate hazard.” The same section also states: “The provisions of this section shall not relieve the driver of a vehicle from the duty to exercise due care for the safety of any pedestrian upon a roadway.”
Seeking Compensation
We trust officials in this case are looking at what caused the collision including whether the driver was distracted, fatigued or otherwise negligent at the time of the crash. We hope eyewitness testimony also helps shed more light with regard to how and why this crash occurred. An experienced Orange County pedestrian accident lawyer will be able to determine whether a dangerous roadway or intersection caused or contributed to the crash. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable.
Source: https://patch.com/california/lakeforest-ca/teenage-pedestrian-injured-struck-while-not-crosswalk-cops