3 Pedestrians Struck by Vehicle in Carlsbad, CA
Three pedestrians were hospitalized Saturday after being struck by a motor vehicle on the old coast highway in central Carlsbad, CA.
According to Carlsbad police, the accident was reported just after midnight on Saturday in the 3200 block of Carlsbad Boulevard, north of Walnut Avenue. Fire paramedics from Carlsbad and Oceanside and Carlsbad police responded to the call. One pedestrian was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital, while the two other pedestrians were taken by ambulance to receive emergency treatment.
The extent of the pedestrians' injuries has not yet been reported, though two pedestrians were reportedly 29-year-old women and the third was a 31-year-old man. The driver of the vehicle that struck the pedestrians was a 49-year-old woman. Carlsbad police have said that the woman remained at the scene after the accident.
The cause of the incident is currently under investigation, and fault has not yet been determined.
Understanding the True Severity of Pedestrian Accidents
According to statistics from the California Highway Patrol (CHP), there were 941 injury accidents and 45 fatal accidents involving pedestrians in San Diego County in 2011. 30 of these injury accidents and 1 fatal pedestrian accident took place in Carlsbad that same year. Pedestrian-involved collisions accounted for about 7.5% of all injury traffic accidents that year and 23% of all fatal accidents. The disparity in these figures, with a significantly higher percentage of pedestrian accidents accounting for fatal collisions as opposed to injury collisions, shows just how serious pedestrian-involved accidents can be.
Pedestrians are at a distinct disadvantage when involved in any type of traffic collision. Even a low-speed accident in a parking lot or while a car is pulling out of a driveway can cause debilitating or even fatal injuries. This is easy to see when you consider an adult male pedestrian may weigh about 180 to 200 pounds and a typical passenger car may weigh 3,000 to 5,000 pounds. Pedestrians are at risk of suffering such injuries as broken bones, internal bleeding, organ damage, head trauma, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and severe lacerations and contusions.
Another sad truth about pedestrian accidents is the prevalence of young victims. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in five children aged four to nine who lost their lives in traffic accidents were pedestrians, as opposed to vehicle occupants. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that of the 69,000 pedestrians injured in 2011, 11,000 were aged 14 and under. Children may be at a higher risk of being struck by vehicles due to their smaller size. Particularly when reversing, it may be difficult for a driver to see a child standing or walking behind a vehicle.
What can I do if I was struck by a car?
If you or someone you love was hit by a car or other vehicle, you may be uncertain of your legal rights and options. This is where a San Diego personal injury lawyer at The McClellan Law Firm may able to help. We offer experienced legal counsel to clients in Southern California who have been injured or have lost loved ones in traffic accidents, including pedestrian accidents. These are often serious and require extensive medical care, which can quickly add up to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Seeking maximum financial compensation is crucial if a victim is to rebuild and recover.
Call our firm to see how we can help you seek justice and recover fair compensation for medical care, lost earnings, property damage, ongoing medical treatment, emotional trauma and possibly more. Your initial consultation is free and confidential.