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Recently, a pedestrian was struck as she was crossing a street in downtown Scranton. The woman was hit near an intersection by a vehicle that was turning at the time. The woman was knocked unconscious and has now suffered a head injury. Police are currently investigating the accident, but no charges have yet been filed.
The story is an interesting one, as it highlights one of the main types of pedestrian accidents in Pennsylvania – those that involve someone on foot and a motorist making a turn. Below, our Philadelphia pedestrian accident lawyer outlines the other common types of these crashes.
Reversing Vehicle Accidents
Crashes that involve a reversing vehicle and a pedestrian most commonly occur in parking lots and on streets that are adjacent with alleys and driveways. Each of these areas often have limited visibility and when a motorist does not properly check to ensure the way is clear, people on foot can easily become hurt.
Off Road Accidents
As the name suggests, these crashes occur when a vehicle leaves the road and crashes into a pedestrian on the sidewalk. These accidents are rare and when they occur, drunk driving is often a factor.
Intersection Accidents
A very common type of collision between vehicles and pedestrians is when a vehicle runs through an intersection as a pedestrian is crossing. Due to the fact that most pedestrians wait until they have the legal right to cross in a crosswalk at intersections, these crashes are usually the fault of the driver. Malfunctioning traffic signals and a lack of control devices can also contribute to these crashes. Still, drivers are expected to watch for pedestrians at all times, particularly when they are approaching an intersection.
Turning Vehicles
As in the recent story, accidents that occur between a turning motorist and a pedestrian are all too common. These crashes can occur at intersections, but they are common anywhere a vehicle may turn, such as down a side street. Accidents involving turning vehicles usually occur because the motorist has looked to ensure there is no oncoming traffic when they are making a left turn, but they did not check to ensure the way was clear where they had to make the turn. When making a right turn, a motorist may simply fail to look at all to ensure there are no pedestrians in their path.
Dart Out
A dart out occurs when a pedestrian jumps out into traffic without giving motorists the necessary time to stop. Pedestrians are usually found to hold some degree of fault in these accidents, but it is also not uncommon for the motorist to take some of the blame.
Our Pedestrian Accident Lawyer in Philadelphia Can Help After a Crash
If you have been hurt in a crash, our Philadelphia personal injury lawyer at van der Veen, Hartshorn & Levin can help you claim the full damages you deserve. We know the serious injuries pedestrians suffer after these collisions and we have the necessary experience to hold motorists liable. Call us today at (215) 610-3440 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
Resource:
pahomepage.com/news/woman-hit-by-car-in-scranton-taken-to-hospital-with-head-injury/
