Pedestrian Accident

Washington DC Pedestrian Accidents At Higher Risk of Occurring After Daylight Saving Time Ends

November 5, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there is a higher risk of pedestrian accidents occurring after Daylight Saving Time has ended. Daylight Saving Time will be over for the year on Sunday and clocks will be turned back one hour.

Adjusting to the new low-light environment can take time, and NHTSA is warning motorists and pedestrians to exercise more caution so as prevent pedestrian accidents from happening.

For motorists, NHTSA is recommending that you:
• Make sure your windows, windshield, and mirrors are clean and free of frost or fog.
• Slow down.

• Don’t assume that a pedestrian knows that you are there.

NHTSA is recommending that pedestrians:
• Look before crossing the street—even if the traffic light indicates that you can go ahead and you are at a pedestrian crosswalk.
• Avoid crossing between parked vehicles.
• Avoid jaywalking.
• Walk on sidewalks.
• Face traffic when walking on the street.

• Do not assume that a motorist can sees you.

Of 4,092 people killed in US pedestrian accidents last year, 25% died between 4pm and 8pm when there was less light out. 13% of the pedestrian fatalities took place between 4am and 8am.

Our Washington DC pedestrian accident lawyers know that it can be tough to recover from injuries sustained in a traffic crash. Also, medical costs and recovery expenses can take their financial toll. There may be a negligent motorist or another party who should be held liable for your DC personal injury or a loved one’s wrongful death.

Consumer Advisory: As Daylight Saving Time Ends, NHTSA Cautions Drivers on Increased Pedestrian Risk, NHTSA, November 5, 2010
Car Accidents with Pedestrians, Nolo
Related Web Resources:

DC Pedestrian

Q&As: Pedestrians, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Maryland Accident Law Blog

Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Washington DC Pedestrian Accident Involving Allegedly Drunk Driver Claims the Life of 26-Year-old Johns Hopkins University Graduate Student

September 15, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

One of the two women who was struck in a Washington DC pedestrian accident on September 8th has died. The victim, Julia Bachleitner, was a 26-year-old Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies graduate student from Austria. She was taken off life support yesterday.

Bachleitner and Melissa Basque, another student, were standing on a traffic island and waiting for the light to change in the Adams Morgan neighborhood when a vehicle driven by an alleged drunken driver hit them. One witness says that the force of the collision caused the women to be thrown at least 30 feet. They both sustained serious injuries. Basque was released from the hospital on Friday.

Meantime, the allegedly inebriated motorist, 23-year-old Chamica M. Adams, was arrested at the Adams Morgan pedestrian crash site. She did not sustain any injuries from the Washington DC motor vehicle crash.

According to one witness, after Adams’ vehicle struck the two women, she drove her car through the front window of a restaurant. Fortunately, even though there were people in the restaurant no one was hurt.

Adams has been charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated assault. Following Bachleitner’s passing, however, the U.S. Attorney’s Office says that the criminal charges may be changed to involuntary manslaughter.

Pedestrian Accidents

With little protection from the impact of getting hit by a car, bus, truck, or SUV, pedestrians are at risk of suffering serious injuries during a traffic crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 4,092 US pedestrian deaths and 59,000 pedestrian injuries in 2009. Many of these injured pedestrians had to undergo surgeries and other costly medical care to recover.

You may be able to hold the negligent motorist liable.

Student Pulled Off Life Support After Being Struck By Driver, MyFox Washington DC, September 14, 2010
Driver hits 2 pedestrians, crashes into Adams Morgan restaurant, officials say, Washington Post, September 9, 2010

Highlights of 2009 Motor Vehicle Crashes (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
Impaired Driving Facts, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

DC Department of Transportation

Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Washington DC and Baltimore Motorists Rank at Bottom of Allstate’s List of Best Drivers Report

September 8, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to Allstate Insurance, Baltimore and Washington DC rank second to last respectively among the country’s 200 largest cities when it comes to having the best drivers. While drivers in Fort Collins, Colorado, the city that ranked number one, on average get into car accidents just once every 14.5 years, District drivers get into Washington DC car accidents approximately once every 5.1 years—a 96% higher rate than that of the average US motorist. Meantime, Baltimore motorists are 79% more likely to get into a Maryland car accident than the average US driver. The two cities’ rankings were the same as from the year before.

Our Maryland and Washington DC car accident law firm wants to remind you that we offer free case evaluations to traffic accident victims and their families in both states. It is important that you have an injury team advocating on your behalf to ensure that you receive all the personal injury and wrongful death recovery owed yo you.

Steps that you can take to avoid causing a Washington DC motor vehicle crash:
• Don’t drive drunk
• Make sure that your vehicle is up to date on all maintenance checks
• Don’t text message while driving
• Avoid speeding
• Avoid following too closely behind the car in front of you
• Don’t let your anger get the better of you and turn into an aggressive driver
• Adjust your driving according to the weather, road, and traffic conditions
• Keep both eyes on the road
• Avoid distracted driving
Sixth Annual “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report™” Reveals New Safest Driving City, Allstate, September 22, 2010

Download the Report (PDF)

Related Web Resources:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

70 Rules of Defensive Driving, Roadtrip America

Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Washington DC Pedestrian Accident Kills 11-Year-Old Boy in Georgetown

July 21, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

11-year-old Zachary Hodges has died. The boy passed away on July 12 one day after sustaining a severe head injury during a Georgetown pedestrian accident in Washington DC.

The woman whose car struck Hodges did not sustain any injuries. Following the Washington DC pedestrian accident site, the driver and her passenger stayed at the crash site.

Hodges is not from the area. His family was in Washington DC for a visit when the tragic accident occurred.

Child Pedestrians

Young children are at high risk of becoming involved in a pedestrian accident. Not only are they smaller and harder for some motorists to see, but they lack the judgment to known when it is safe to cross the street, sometimes opting to run into the road to pick up a ball or get to their friends who are playing on the opposite sidewalk. Many young children have no real sense that crossing the street can be dangerous. They may have a hard time gauging how fast a car is moving or whether there is enough time to cross the road before they are hit by a motor vehicle.

Although parents are responsible for training their child to safely cross the street and making sure that younger kids do not cross the street without adult supervision, it is still a motorist’s responsibility to drive safely, obey the traffic laws, and refrain from negligent or careless driving so that they don’t accidentally injure a pedestrian.

Name Of Texas Boy Killed In D.C. Auto-Pedestrian Accident Released, KWTX, July 13, 2010
Boy struck by car in Georgetown dies, The Washington Post, July 12, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Educating Child Pedestrians, WalkingInfo

District Department of Transportation

Maryland Accident Law Blog

Washington DC Stays Vigilant in Fight to Prevent Distracted Driving Accidents

June 19, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to a new report, the local governments in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia are doing a good job in their efforts to crack down on distracted driving. The report from the Governors Highway Safety Association is called “Curbing Distracted Driving: 2010 Survey of State Safety Programs.”

The report notes that combating distracted driving has become a priority for many states, with many of them enacting tougher laws and coming up with more education programs and media campaigns to educate people about the dangers of driving while distracted. The District (along with Maryland and 42 other state) also now make it a point to collect distracted driving data when Washington DC motor vehicle crashes occur. Also, Washington DC now includes the issue of distracted driving in its driver education classes and driver’s license test, while using social networking sites to make known the dangers of cell phone talking and texting while driving.

The GHSA’s report, however, does note that more effort across the board needs to be made to get teenagers to become more aware that distracted driving is dangerous. Seeing as multi-tasking while driving is dangerous for even the most experienced drivers, it is important that teens, who have the least amount of experience when it comes to operating a motor vehicle, have their full attention on the task at hand so that they don’t increase their chance of injury or death.

Distracted driving has fast become a leading cause of US car crashes—especially with the so many people using cell phones to talk and text while driving. According to AAA, distracted driving is a cause of about 3 million auto accidents each years.

Our Washington DC car accident lawyers know how devastating it is to lose someone you love in a motor vehicle crash that could have been prevented were it not for other parties’ negligence.

Region’s Distracted Driving Crackdown Gets High Marks, WJLA, June 16, 2010
Curbing Distracted Driving: 2010 Survey of State Safety Programs, GHSA
Related Web Resources:

District Department of Transportation

AAA Exchange

Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Trucking Accident Lawyer Blog

Washington DC Pedestrian Accident Injures Retired Cop During National Police Week

May 20, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A 62-year-old retired police officer was injured on Friday night when he was hit by a Chevy SUV. Bill Tinker was crossing H Street, NW, at New Jersey Avenue from a Police Week food and beverage area when the Washington DC pedestrian accident happened.

The impact of the Washington DC car crash knocked Tinker out of his shoes and into the windshield of the vehicle that struck him before he landed on the ground. He broke several bones and had to be evaluated for possible head injuries.

Washington DC Pedestrian Accidents

When a pedestrian is injured during a Washington DC car accident, one of the first issues that investigators will try to resolve is who was at fault in causing the pedestrian accident. DId the pedestrian, the motorist, or another party cause the crash?

In most pedestrian accidents, it is the person walking who will have sustained the more serious injuries. Pedestrians don’t have anything to serve as a buffer between them and the impact of getting struck by a car, a motorcycle, a truck, or a bus. Pedestrian injuries can be catastrophic and the medical and recovery expenses can be astronomical. Seniors and children are at most risk of getting hurt or dying in a pedestrian accident.

Granted, in most Washington DC pedestrian accident cases involving a liable motorist, the negligent party likely never intended to hurt anyone. However, the driver can still be held accountable for the injuries, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Police Week Participant Struck By Car, MyFoxDC.com, May 16, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents With Pedestrians, Nolo
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety, FHWA Safety
Maryland Car Accident Attorney Blog

US News & World Report Ranks Washington DC as Safest Place for Teen Drivers

March 20, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

US News & World Report has just put out its first Best States for Teen Drivers ranking and the District of Columbia tops the list. One reason for this is that Washington DC has some of the strictest laws governing teen drivers and their driving requirements. The state of Maryland placed 4th. This is good news for Washington DC and Maryland teen drivers, considering that car accidents are considered the number one cause of fatalities to teens in the 16-19 age group. Over 4,000 teenagers die every year.

That said, there is always more that can be done to prevent the number of Washington DC car accidents involving teen drivers.

Per a recent study about teen drivers by Allstate Foundation:

• 61% of teens are concerned they might get involved in a car accident
• 82% of teen drivers say that they use a cell phone when operating a motor vehicle
• 42% say that they text message and instant message when driving
• 65% of teenaged drivers think that they are good motorists that pay attention when driving
• Parents are the #1 influence when it comes to teenage drivers

It is so important that teens aren’t distracted when driving. Learning how to drive safely and correctly is challenging enough without the dangers posed by cell phone conversations, text messages, alcohol, or drugs.

Washington DC has a graduated licensing program (Gradual Rearing of Adult Drivers) that imposes certain temporary restrictions on young drivers so that they can gradually gain experience. Also, DC drivers with a learner’s permit are banned from using any kind of cell phone while driving and all Washington DC drivers are prohibited from texting and talking on a handheld cell phone.

D.C. Tops New Ranking of Safest Places for Teen Drivers, US News & World Report, March 18, 2010
U.S. News Media Group and Allstate Insurance Company Release 2010 Best States for Teen Drivers, PR Newswire, March 18, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Teen Drivers, CDC
The Graduated Licensing Program, District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles
Allstate Foundation

33,963 US Highway Deaths in 2009, Reports US DOT

March 17, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of US traffic fatalities dropped to 33,963 in 2009. That’s an 8.9% decrease from 2008 when there were 37,261 highway deaths. This is also the lowest that the US traffic fatality figure has dropped down to since 1994, and the 15th quarter in a row that there has been a decrease.

While National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland called the continued decrease in traffic deaths encouraging, he says that the government will keep working hard to keep bringing the death toll down. The NHTSA took aggressive action last year to stop motorists from drinking with its Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest campaign. It’s Click It or Ticket campaign cited people for not putting on their seat belt. The federal government also made great strides toward discouraging distracted driving—especially cell phone use and text messaging while operating a motor vehicle.

Our Washington DC personal injury lawyers applaud the government’s effort to lower the number of traffic deaths. We also are in agreement that there is more than can be done to encourage drivers to operate their cars responsibly so that more vehicle occupants and pedestrians don’t get hurt or die unnecessarily.

Just last week, US Senate majority Leader Harry Reid’s wife and daughter were injured in a semi-truck crash near Washington DC. Landra Reid, 69, and Lara Barringer, 49, received medical attention after they were struck by a tractor-trailer.

Landra suffered a broken back, nose, and neck, while Lana, who sustained cuts, was examined by a neurologist because she has been experiencing dizziness. Trucker Alan W. Snader was charged with reckless driving for his role in the tractor-trailer crash.

Traffic Fatalities for 2009 Reach Record Low, NHTSA, March 11, 2010
Reid’s wife, daughter recovering from truck crash, Associated Press, March 16, 2010
Related Web Resources:

Early estimate of motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2009, NHTSA (PDF)

District Department of Transportation

US Department on Transportation and National Safety Council Step Up Fight Against Distracted Driving with FocusDriven Advocacy Group

January 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The US Department of Transportation and the National Safety Council have created FocusDriven. This is the first national advocacy group focused on supporting distracted driving victims and raising awareness about the dangers this very bad driving habit presents to motorists and pedestrians. The group was developed as a result last year’s Distracted Driving Summit in Washington DC. On its Web site, FocusDriven states that its vision is to save lives and prevent injuries by eliminating the use of cell phones while driving.

For awhile, motorists and lawmakers thought that using a cell phone wasn’t too dangerous as long a driver kept both hands on the wheel and used an earpiece or Bluetooth device. While there are accident statistics that indicate a higher crash risk when a driver uses a handheld cellular phone, rather than a hands-free device, the mounting data which proves that talking on any type of cellular device while operating a motor vehicle is just plain dangerous can no longer be ignored. Like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), FocusDriven wants everyone to fully comprehend that there is no doubt whatsoever that talking on a phone while driving can injure and kill people.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the NSC chose to announce creation of the advocacy group on Tuesday, exactly one year after the NSC called for a nationwide ban on the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle. The US government also recently launched a federal Web site called Distraction.gov, which focuses on raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. LaHood says the Obama Administration is committed to “putting an end” to distracted driving.

Washington DC Car Accidents

In a busy city like Washington DC, it is not uncommon for motorists and pedestrians to multi-task while trying to manage busy careers, social calendars, and personal lives. Many people are wedded to their cell phones and PDAs, so it is not uncommon to make calls and send messages while commuting to and from work. Unfortunately, multi-tasking while operating a motor vehicle is a bad idea and can be considered negligent driving if someone is killed or hurt in a Washington DC motor vehicle collision as a result.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the National Safety Council Announce FocusDriven, January 12, 2010, (PDF)

Related Web Resources:

FocusDriven

Distraction.gov

National Safety Council

$30 Million Washington DC Bus Crash Lawsuit Filed Against Metro by Injured Congressional Staffer

January 11, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Amanda Mahnke, Representative Rick Larsen’s communications director who was seriously injured when an empty bus struck her on September 3, is suing Metro for Washington DC personal injury. She is seeking $30 million in damages.

According to Mahnke’s DC bus accident lawsuit, she sustained permanent injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, a broken clavicle, a fractured skull, fractured ribs, a collapsed long, an epidural hematoma, a pelvis fracture, and other personal injuries when she was struck by the Metro bus while she crossing an intersection on Florida Avenue, NW. She is accusing Metro of negligence for allowing bus driver Carla A. Proctor to keep driving its buses even though she had been sued in the past for causing other collisions.

Proctor was involved in a multi-vehicle crash involving another bus and seven autos in March 2003 when she got out of the bus to examine a faulty door. According to lawsuits against Metro and Proctor, because she allegedly failed to set the brake the bus rolled down a hill. After Proctor struck a parked vehicle in December 2004, an elderly bus passenger filed a Washington DC bus crash lawsuit against Metro.