Pedestrian Injury Lawyer
One of the most catastrophic and violent types of accidents that most people face every day is the threat of being hit by a motor vehicle while on foot. Unfortunately, the risk of suffering a pedestrian accident in South Carolina is particularly high — South Carolina had the fourth worst pedestrian fatality rate in the nation, a recent study reports.
Charleston County is the worst of the worst when it comes to pedestrian safety, with the highest number of pedestrian accidents and the most pedestrian fatalities in the state during a recent five-year sample period.
These accidents are so tragic because pedestrians are unprotected during an accident, unlike motorists who have seat belts, airbags, steel frames and other safety features. Roughly 82 percent of pedestrians involved in a crash are injured. Many of their injuries are severe or even fatal. Sadly, a large number of pedestrian accidents in South Carolina could be avoided if drivers were more cautious.
Joye Law Firm’s Pedestrian Accident Lawyers Can Help
The experienced personal injury lawyers at Joye Law Firm believe that negligent motorists should be held responsible for harming innocent pedestrians. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a pedestrian accident, you can count on our attorneys and staff to fight for your rights while treating you with the compassion, respect and care you deserve.
Just Call Joye and get our accident attorneys working for you. We have over 40 years of experience with helping injured people like you recover not just the compensation they deserve, but also their lives.
We can help you too. Just Call Joye. You can reach us at (888) 324-3100 or fill out an online form for a free case review.
Joye Law Firm’s injury attorneys serve clients in Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Goose Creek, Moncks Corner and Summerville. We are also ready to take on your case anywhere in South Carolina.
Put Our Experience To Work For You
Our personal injury attorneys have over 110 years of combined litigation experience, and it is clear that Joye Law Firm’s proven pedestrian accident lawyers are committed to our clients and to the professional practice of personal injury law. Several of the attorneys at Joye Law Firm have received an AV rating, the highest bestowed by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell law firm rating service. Several of our lawyers also have been recognized as Super Lawyers.
Our accident attorneys are proud of our record of securing positive outcomes for our clients. While every case is different, and past results in no way guarantee that similar outcomes can be reached in a case, past results obtained by a law firm show the depth of the firm’s experience when it comes to serious injury and death cases. For more details about the results obtained for previous Joye Law Firm clients, please click on the Results tab on our home page.
About Pedestrian Accidents
With 89 pedestrian fatalities in 2009 and a fatality rate of 1.95 deaths per 100,000 people, South Carolina had the fifth worst pedestrian safety record in the nation, according to a February 2011 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. South Carolina’s pedestrian fatality rate of 1.95 is significantly worse than the national average of 1.33.
One pedestrian is killed on South Carolina’s roads every 3.4 days, according to figures from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. Reports indicate that 2011 was shaping up to be a more perilous year for South Carolina pedestrians after several years of decreases in highway deaths.
A study of South Carolina pedestrian accidents from 2005-2009 revealed that Charleston County had the most pedestrian accidents and the most pedestrian deaths in the state. There were 774 pedestrian crashes in Charleston County during that period, and 58 of them were fatal. The entire state of South Carolina saw 4,565 pedestrian collisions during the five-year study period.
Visibility appears to be an important factor in pedestrian accidents, with most happening between 6 p.m. and midnight. Weekend days see more fatal pedestrian accidents than other days of the week, and secondary roads are the most dangerous type. Male pedestrians have a much higher accident rate than women.
Why Do Pedestrian Accidents Happen?
According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, accidents involving pedestrians happen most often when they are in the roadway, and not on the shoulder or sidewalk. Although state law requires pedestrians to stay out of the roadway when a sidewalk or shoulder is available, there are times when there is no other option but to walk in the road.
Pedestrians must also enter the roadway when crossing streets. South Carolina law gives them the right-of-way when they are crossing in a crosswalk. However, even if someone is not in a crosswalk, motorists can still be held liable if they hit a pedestrian.
South Carolina Code § 56-5-3230 states “every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian … and shall give an audible signal when necessary and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, incapacitated or intoxicated person.”
Speaking of intoxication, alcohol use is another major factor in pedestrian accidents. Nationwide statistics show that alcohol is involved in 48 percent of crashes that result in fatalities. While it is twice as common for the pedestrian to be intoxicated as compared to the motorist, the South Carolina statute mentioned above requires motorists to use due care to avoid hitting intoxicated pedestrians.
Other common factors in pedestrian accidents include:
- Driver error: Failure to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians when crossing streets or at intersections is one of the most frequent mistakes cited in pedestrian accidents.
- Reckless driving: Speeding, running a red light or rolling through a stop sign can also be deadly for pedestrians.
- Distracted drivers: A driver’s mind and eyes can be diverted from the road by talking on a cell phone, adjusting a GPS or sending a text message. Even the shortest distraction can have a life-changing outcome for pedestrians.
Contact Our Accident Lawyers Today
Just Call Joye! Let the proven injury attorneys at Joye Law Firm help you. Call us at (888) 324-3100 or fill out an online consultation form.
