Pedestrian accidents can lead to severe injuries. If you or someone you know was injured as a pedestrian in Florida, there may be good grounds for a personal injury claim. Sadly, many pedestrian accidents end in death.
The number of pedestrian fatalities has been consistently going up since 2009, even though it was actually declining until 1988. The Governors Highway Safety Administration has found that 2019, the latest year for which at least partial data is available, did nothing to stop the upward trend.
2019 hits 30-year high in pedestrian deaths
In fact, 2019 saw perhaps the highest number of pedestrian deaths since 1988: 6,590 in all, according to GHSA estimates. This marks a 5% increase from 2018 and a 60% jump from 2009 when 4,109 pedestrians were killed.
Forty-seven percent of these fatalities transpired in five states. Florida was one; the others were Georgia, California, Arizona and Texas. Florida, New Mexico and Hawaii had the highest pedestrian fatality rate per 100,000 people whereas the lowest rates were in Wisconsin, Idaho and Vermont.
Several ways to explain this trend
The GHSA says that several factors are at play in this upward trend. First, it should be noted that all other traffic deaths have seen a 2% increase between 2009 and 2018; only pedestrian deaths are going up so dramatically.
One factor is new technology and the subsequent rise in drivers who use their phones. Another is the warmer weather inviting more people to go outside. A third is the popularity of SUVs and light trucks. These accounted for 69% of new vehicle sales in 2019 compared to 48% in 2009, and by their very design, these types of vehicles are more likely to kill any pedestrians they strike.
A lawyer to negotiate or litigate on your behalf
When pedestrian collisions result in serious injuries, victims may be eligible for compensation. You want to be reimbursed for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering, but you might find it hard to negotiate for a settlement with the driver’s insurance company without legal representation. It all starts with a case evaluation.