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[/profileleft]San Diego is famous across the globe for several things. At its foundation, America’s Finest City is known for its beautiful weather. That’s one of the reasons you see so many people walking around in different parts of the county. San Diego is definitely a walking city. It’s also a city with a lot of motorized traffic.
Unfortunately, these two variables combined increase the risk for San Diego pedestrian accidents. These crashes can be permanently destructive and even fatal. We are continuing our effort in bringing awareness to certain dangers to the public during National Safety Month. Today we’re going to provide information regarding San Diego pedestrian accident statistics. We’re also going to lay out some ideas to help you minimize the chance that you’ll ever be involved in such an incident.
San Diego County Pedestrian Accidents – Statistics
The California Office of Traffic Safety, or OTS, is charged with collecting and organizing data that relates to all different types of traffic accidents. Clearly, pedestrian accidents are part of this body of data. The most recent year with complete data is 2013.
According to the OTS, 594 people were either killed or injured in pedestrian accidents in San Diego County during that year. 82 of those people were under 15 years of age. 73 of those pedestrians were 65 years old or older. That equates to more than 11 people per month who were either injured or killed in these crashes. A link to this searchable data can be found here.
Common Causes of San Diego Pedestrian Accidents
Many people would likely guess that there are fewer San Diego pedestrian accidents than are reported. San Diego is a city where these crashes can occur for some common reasons. A few of them include:
- Lack of familiarity – San Diego attracts an enormous number of tourists every year. This lack of familiarity leads to both driving and walking mistakes.
- Distractions – Distracted driving and walking are big problems in San Diego just like everywhere else.
- Improper left turns – Drivers trying to make left turns has always been a leading cause of pedestrian accidents.
There are many additional causes of these crashes, but the bottom line is that they occur in San Diego County with alarming frequency.
Ideas for Avoiding Pedestrian Accidents
We have heard a lot of tragic stories over the years relating to pedestrian accidents. Below are some ideas to consider so that you can minimize the chance that you’re involved in one:
- Cell phones – Cell phones are a distraction for pedestrians. If you need to have a phone conversation, step to the side of the sidewalk and don’t move through traffic while speaking.
- Crosswalks – Always cross in crosswalks. If there is no crosswalk nearby, make sure you are proceeding across a street with a green light.
- Anticipation – Drivers make mistakes that are outside of the control of pedestrians. Keep an eye on any motorists nearby as you cross a road and try to anticipate what could go wrong.
Overall, pedestrian accidents can be devastating because of the obvious disadvantages faced by people who collide with moving vehicles.
If you or someone you love has been harmed in this manner, contact the San Diego pedestrian accident attorneys at Gomez Trial Attorneys today to schedule a free initial consultation.
