The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) estimates that 1,608 pedestrian crashes occurred on Virginia’s roads in 2017, representing a 2.7 percent decrease from 2016. These crashes resulted in 114 fatalities and 1,571 injuries. Although pedestrian accidents seem to be on the decline, these alarming statistics highlight the danger that pedestrians regularly face; a pedestrian who has been hit by a car doesn’t often walk away from the scene of the accident unscathed. If you were hit by a driver while you were walking, it’s likely that you sustained moderate to severe injuries. Virginia law permits you to seek compensation for those injuries in civil court. Call the skilled pedestrian accident attorneys at Emroch & Kilduff at (804) 358-1568 to learn how we can help you recover compensation for losses related to your injuries.
Where Do Most Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Virginia?
Virginia’s DMV reports that pedestrian accidents occur most frequently during the night and outside of intersections in the following areas:- Northern Virginia near Washington D.C., such as Fairfax County
- Hampton Roads
- Richmond
Who Faces the Most Risk for a Pedestrian Accident?
All pedestrians face a moderate amount of risk of being involved in a pedestrian accident, but some population groups are especially vulnerable. You might think that young children face the most danger, but they are often accompanied by their parents, who usually take special care to protect their children. In actuality, the age group that suffered the most pedestrian-involved crashes in a recent year ranged from age 21 to 40; these people accounted for nearly one-third of all pedestrian injuries. In terms of fatalities, those from age 51 to 65 and from age 21 to 25 suffered the most deaths.The Virginia Department of Transportation’s Pedestrian Safety Action Plan
In an effort to curb pedestrian-involved crashes, injuries, and fatalities, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has studied dense clusters of pedestrian crash locations in the state and identified specific countermeasures to implement, which depend on the characteristics of the location. The state rolled out its first pedestrian safety action plan ever in early 2019. Continued implementation might include one or more of the following countermeasures:- High visibility crosswalks
- Curb extensions
- Additional pedestrian countdown displays at traffic lights
- Improving the timing of walk signals by letting motorists see pedestrians cross before their light turns green
- Increased advanced warning signs
- Affixing permanent yield to pedestrian signs in the middle of the road at crossing areas to increase visibility
- Adding pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs) in some locations, which display lights to motorists that indicate when a pedestrian is crossing the street
- Adding rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFB) in conjunction with crosswalks to increase visibility
