According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrian fatalities from car accidents have recently reached a 30-year high. California is responsible for more pedestrian deaths than any other state, with almost 900 in 2018 alone. In part, this is due to the state’s large population, but California also has a higher rate of pedestrian fatalities than many other states, with pedestrians accounting for almost 25 percent of all traffic deaths. In light of these shocking statistics, you may be wondering why pedestrian accidents are so common, and what you can do to avoid becoming a victim.

Factors That Lead to Pedestrian Accidents

One likely reason for the prevalence of pedestrian accidents in California is the presence of several major cities. The NHTSA reports that 80 percent of fatal pedestrian accidents happen in urban areas, and California is home to four of the 15 largest U.S. cities by population, including San Jose and San Francisco. If you are walking in an urban area in California, you should take extra care to stay aware of your surroundings and avoid putting yourself at risk.

Other common contributing factors in pedestrian accidents include low visibility during dark hours, distraction and alcohol intoxication on the part of both drivers and pedestrians, speeding, and improper use of sidewalks and crosswalks. To reduce the risk of accidents, the NHTSA and the California Office of Traffic Safety advise pedestrians to use lights, reflectors, and bright clothing; obey traffic signals and use crosswalks when crossing the street; and avoid walking near the road when they are drunk or using their cell phones.

While it may not attract as much attention as drunk driving or distracted driving, drowsy driving is another serious issue that contributes to car accidents, many of which result in injuries and fatalities. The most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show more than 90,000 annual accidents in which driver fatigue was a factor, with nearly 800 resulting fatalities. Understanding some of the common factors in these accidents may help you avoid falling victim to one yourself.

Common Factors in Accidents Involving Driver Fatigue

Research shows that all of the following are possible factors in accidents involving drowsy drivers:

• Time of day: Perhaps unsurprisingly, drowsy driving crashes are more likely to occur late at night. What may be more surprising is that they are also more common in the late afternoon, in part due to the human body’s natural sleep rhythms.

  ...

On an annual basis, around 18,000 people are injured and more than 1,000 people are killed in car accidents involving alcohol throughout California. Suffering a serious injury or losing a loved one in a crash with a drunk driver can be devastating, and it is important to know how you can obtain compensation and find some degree of solace for your losses. Fortunately, an attorney can help you do so through a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Building Your Case for Compensation

If you have been injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver, there are important steps you should take to give yourself the best chance at recovering compensation. Namely, you should:

• Seek medical attention: This ensures that you receive the proper treatment for your injuries, and it also serves to create a record that demonstrates the extent of your medical expenses and other damages and connects your injuries to the accident.

  ...

Highway 17 between San Jose and Santa Cruz has been a consistently dangerous stretch of road for decades. The “Safe on 17” commission of the late ‘90s led to a temporary decline in the number of car accidents, but over the last few years, crashes have once again been on the rise. For example, in 2019, Highway 17 was the site of 521 accidents from just January to the middle of March, an increase of 30 crashes from that same time period the year before. To help keep yourself safe, it is important to be aware of why accidents are so common on this road, and what you can do if you are injured in a crash.

Risk Factors on Highway 17

Area law enforcement notes several factors that contribute to accidents on Highway 17. These include:

• Heavy traffic: More than 60,000 vehicles travel Highway 17 each day, and the simple fact of this many drivers in close proximity to each other increases the risk of accidents.

  ...

In 2017, almost 12,000 people suffered severe injuries in California car accidents, meaning that their injuries prevented them from walking, driving, or performing other activities that they were able to do before the accident. Many of these severe injuries involve damage to the spinal cord, which can have long-lasting effects and may require many years of recovery for the victim to even approach his or her condition before the accident, if recovery is possible at all. If you have suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident caused by another driver, a personal injury lawsuit can help you obtain compensation to cover your extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Signs that You May Have a Spinal Cord Injury

Sometimes spinal cord injuries are immediately apparent after a car accident. If you find that you are paralyzed or have lost the ability to move body parts below the neck or waist, it is likely that you have suffered spinal cord damage. However, sometimes the extent of the injury is not obvious right away. Other signs that you may have a spinal injury include extreme back or neck pain, weakness, numbness or tingling, and difficulty walking or breathing. You may also be able to visibly detect a possible spinal cord injury if your neck or back is in an unnatural position after the accident. If you suspect that your spinal cord has been injured, you should seek medical attention immediately to prevent the damage from getting worse.