California Injury Blog
Two people have been killed and two others were seriously injured after being struck by vehicles in Santa Ana within the past week. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, 68-year-old Petra Perez Jimenez died from injuries sustained on October 11, 2013 when she was struck by a Toyota Camry at the intersection of Grant Street and Standard Avenue. Jimenez was pushing a shopping cart in a marked crosswalk when the northbound vehicle hit her. The driver of the Camry, who was driving without a license, remained at the scene. No charges have been filed yet.
Series of Collisions
The second pedestrian collision occurred on October 14 when 6-year-old Alan Martinez was struck and killed by a vehicle while crossing the intersection of Central Avenue and Ramona Drive with his grandmother and 7-year-old sister. The boy and his grandmother were struck by a pickup that had stopped at a four-way stop and then headed south on Ramona and turned east on Central. The woman suffered bone fractures and head trauma. Then, early morning on October 15, a woman pushing a shopping cart was hit by a vehicle at 4th and Lacy streets. Officials said the woman, who was crossing at a red light, suffered serious head injuries.
According to the Santa Ana Police Department, seven people died in pedestrian accidents in the city in the year 2012. The department has developed a pedestrian safety course for local schools and other groups. The program primarily talks about pedestrian right-of-way laws, which motorists tend to commonly violate in this city.
Pedestrian’s Right of Way
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.” Also, according to this section, pedestrians are not absolved from exercising duty of care under this law. Pedestrians are prohibited from suddenly running into the roadway or crossing the street where it is not safe to do so.
Protecting Victims’ Rights
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, it is important that you protect your rights by contacting an experienced Santa Ana personal injury lawyer. Injured victims can seek compensation from the at-fault parties for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and pain and suffering. Families of deceased victims may also seek compensation by filing a wrongful death claim. In pedestrian accident cases where the collision is caused by a dangerous roadway or intersection, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable. Under California Government Code Section 911.2, any personal injury or wrongful death claim against a governmental agency must be filed within 180 days of the incident.