In Louisiana and across the United States, when a pedestrian is hit by a motor vehicle, there is a significant chance that there will be major injuries and even fatalities. Given the technological advancements available today, it is easy to think that safety would improve. Unfortunately, other factors such as distracted driving, recklessness, failure to adhere to the rules of the road, driving under the influence and other negligent behaviors place pedestrians in constant jeopardy.
Report says Louisiana near the top of the list for pedestrian risk
Researchers try to assess how and why these accidents happen to formulate strategies to reduce their frequency. A recent report from Smart Growth America says that Louisiana is a high risk state for pedestrians and Baton Rouge is especially treacherous. The study assessed the number of pedestrian deaths with its analysis calculating other factors such as how many people lived in a certain location and how often people walked during the decade from 2010 to 2019.
The report – called Dangerous by Design – places Louisiana sixth of the 50 states in the level of risk to pedestrians. Baton Rouge is the 16th ranked city out of 100 listed on its danger index. In the decade, Louisiana had 1,118 pedestrian deaths; Baton Rouge had 211. In the last decade, pedestrians being hit and killed in an auto accident spiked by 45% with nearly 53,500 deaths. Comparing that to the number of passengers inside vehicles who were killed and its rise was 3.7%. It is clear where the trends are headed. Demographic issues were also considered. Older people, residents in low-income areas and people of color were more commonly seen in the accident statistics than others. Road design is also a problem because pedestrians are not given priority on many streets.
After a pedestrian accident, long-term problems can result
Those who have been hurt in a pedestrian accident will inevitably face myriad challenges as they try to recover. There are obvious injuries like head trauma, spinal cord damage, broken bones and cuts. All can result in an extended hospital stay, lost income from not being able to work, the inability to play an active role with a family, and long-term damage that the person will never fully recover from. Even people who do not believe they were seriously hurt could have soft tissue injuries that manifest well after the collision took place. Families that have lost a loved one will deal with a variety of emotional, personal and financial challenges. Knowing how to respond is imperative.
Having professional advice is a wise step
Because insurance companies will want to keep costs in line, it is likely that a victim of a pedestrian accident will receive a call from the insurer to try and gather information and possibly reduce what it might pay because of something the person says. Victims should be reluctant and divulge no information before having an advocate give them guidance. After getting treatment, no matter how severe or limited the injuries are, it is important to have professional assistance in the available options to cover for all that was lost. When there was a fatal pedestrian accident, the family left behind should also be shielded in this way. The threat to pedestrian safety is very real and it is critical to be prepared and protected.
