While distracted driving causes many motor vehicle accidents, a growing number of car accidents and collisions involving other motor vehicles are caused by bicyclists and pedestrians that are not paying attention to the roadway or oncoming traffic. Joggers listening to ear buds, businessman reading email on their mobile phone or iPad while riding BART and pedestrians texting while walking their dogs present an increasing risk of being involves in serious car accidents. Distracted driving accidents involving bicyclists and pedestrians are especially dangerous because they lack the standard protections available to occupants of passenger vehicles, such as the body of a car, air bags and seat belts.
While many people are aware of attempts at the federal and state level to crackdown on drivers distracted by cell phones, there is an emerging trend among several states to pass legislation that targets inattentive pedestrians. In many states, distracted driving laws aimed at cars, trucks and SUVs also apply to bicyclists but there is a heightened focus on preventing pedestrian-car crashes caused by distracted pedestrians. New Jersey, for example, imposes a fine on those who are caught walking while multi-tasking. Other states like Washington D.C. are considering similar legislation to prevent car accidents caused by those who are distracted while walking.
Common examples of distractions that may cause a pedestrian collision with a passenger vehicle include:
- Text messaging on a cell phone
- Talking on a mobile phone
- Reading an eBook
- Listening to music on ear buds
- Engaging in a conversation while walking with a companion
- Surfing the web on a portable electronic communication device
- Reading a book, newspaper or magazine
Because pedestrian accidents are prone to result in severe injuries that have a permanent impact on a pedestrian accident victim’s quality of life, efforts to curb the practice of distracted walking are important to prevent catastrophic life-altering injuries and wrongful death. Our San Francisco car accident attorneys understand the enormous financial, emotional and financial toll when accident victims suffer traumatic brain injuries, lose a limb, endure a spinal cord injury or experience other permanent injuries.
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When you are involved in a collision between a motor vehicle and pedestrian, you may have a right to seek compensation for your injuries or loss of a loved one. If you are involved in a San Francisco car accident, our experienced San Francisco motor vehicle accident attorneys have assisted many victims injured in motor vehicle accidents in the Bay Area. We invite you to contact The Law Office of Ian Zimmerman for your free initial consultation. We are open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., speak Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, and are available for weekend, evening, home and hospital meetings and visits. We also offer free initial consultations and work exclusively on a contingency fee basis so that you pay nothing if we don’t win your case.