Is Dangerous Roadway Design a Key in Pedestrian Accidents?

While many outside the city don’t realize it, but Los Angeles is one of the most dangerous cities for pedestrians. Fatal pedestrian accidentsare almost a weekly event in the city, and it has residents questioning something that pedestrians in all major cities should be questioning – is roadway design to blame?

Most roadways are designed strictly for the ease of use of motor vehicles, however with more people choosing to walk or cycle through their neighbourhoods; it may not be feasible to leave roads as they are. In Los Angeles, as only one example, many drivers are focused on beating oncoming traffic when turning, failing to yield to pedestrians. This leads to those crossing the street, even with the right away, to scramble out in front of cars that are trying not to get hit by other cars themselves. Safety advocates throughout major metropolitan areas believe that better road design, speed reductions, and landscaping can help cut down on fatal pedestrian accidents significantly.

However, pedestrian safety is a give and take. Pedestrians must limit themselves to areas of the road specifically put there for their use, such as sidewalks and crosswalks, but cars must also exercise caution and yield to the right of way that pedestrians hold.

For those who have already been injured by a vehicle while observing their right to cross the road, if it was due to poor road way design, you may not only have legal recourse against the driver, but the city as well. You may be able to seek compensation for a number of damages. If you have been the victim in the Los Angeles area, contact us today.