Pedestrians in Los Angeles are probably aware that there are some areas of the city that are more dangerous than others. Areas with high levels of traffic congestion and intersections where drivers routinely fail to look out for people walking and crossing the street can be among the most dangerous spots for a pedestrian. And the victims of auto-pedestrian accidents are not the only ones who are taking note of these hazardous areas.
According to information released by the Los Angeles Police Department, there has been an 18 percent spike in pedestrian fatalities at intersections where there are high levels of traffic in the San Fernando Valley. In response to this troubling trend LAPD officers in the area will be stepping up patrols in an effort to prevent more fatal accidents from occurring.
Both fatal and non-fatal accidents between cars and pedestrians or bicyclists have increased by about 4 percent in the area. Already this year, 20 people have been killed in these crashes and many others have been injured.
In order to tackle this disturbing situation, police officers will be patrolling the areas where many of the accidents have taken place. During the period of increased enforcement, members of the LAPD will be focused on stopping and citing drivers for unsafe operation of their vehicles. This can include speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving and other types of reckless behaviors which are often shown to be the cause of a catastrophic accident.
In many cases, drivers simply fail to look out for pedestrians who are in crosswalks or on sidewalks. They are so distracted, impaired or hurried that they neglect to take just a few seconds to observe their surroundings at an intersection and just assume they have the right of way.
While it is certainly a good idea to take steps to try and prevent these accidents from happening in the first place, there are too many people who are still injured by a negligent motorist. Skateboarders, joggers, walkers and bicyclists can be in serious danger of being hit by drivers who are not paying attention to the road or who do not understand that pedestrians also have rights on the road. And in the event of an accident caused by a negligent driver, victims also have the right to hold a driver accountable for damages.
Source: CBS Los Angeles, “LAPD Steps Up Patrols After String Of Deadly Traffic Accidents,” Oct. 9, 2013