A study from the Governors Highway Safety Association has found that fatalities for pedestrian accidents in 2018 increased. In fact, 2018 will be the most deadly year for pedestrian injuries since the 1990s.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, an estimated 6227 US pedestrian suffered fatal injuries in 2018. Researchers suggest more SUVs on the roads, more risky driving behaviors, and more pedestrians walking more often.
In Homestead and other communities, intersection accidents cause severe injuries each year. Unfortunately, intersections are a higher-risk area because cars are approaching from different directions and making turns. In addition, many road users, including pedestrians, converge in this area and in some cases visibility can be obscured by buildings, making collisions a real problem.
To stay safe and prevent intersections, there are several things motorists can do:
Rear-end collisions in Hollywood and Homestead are sometimes called rear-end shunt accidents. These crashes occur anywhere in Florida and across the country and in many cases are completely preventable. If you have been injured, you will want to ensure you have the compensation you need to replace lost income, pay for medical bills, and take care of yourself financially.
In most cases, these crashes occur because a driver behind the impacted car was negligent. Common causes of rear-end shunt collisions include distracted, sleepy, or drunk driving. When a motorist is not alert, he or she can fail to notice when the car in front of them has stopped, and this can cause them to crash into the car in front of them. Tailgating or failing to leave enough room in bad weather can also lead to collisions, as can poor road design or poor road repair. In these cases, if you have been injured in a rear-end shunt collision, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries and losses.
Many nursing home residents who are still in good physical shape are allowed to leave the premises of their nursing home in order to take care basic activities such as shopping. Some nursing homes allow patients to walk in specific areas in order to enjoy some freedoms.
Unfortunately, when due care is not taken, pedestrian accidents can occur. These can be devastating for nursing home residents and their families. An elderly person is more likely to suffer severe or life-threatening injuries in a car accident, simply because they may have pre-existing conditions and may be more fragile due to osteoporosis or other age-related conditions.
When many people think of nursing home injuries, they think of cases of negligence or medical abuse or slip and fall accidents. While all of these tend to be more common types of nursing home abuse and neglect cases in Hollywood and South Florida, there is a type of nursing home injury that does not get enough attention: car accidents.
Many families don’t consider this when placing loved ones in care, but car accidents are a risk nursing home patients face. Nursing homes may need to transport patients to doctor’s appointments or may be taking them to special events. In addition, nursing home properties can sometimes be the site of crashes if a car from a busy street veers out of control and crashes into the building. Some facilities allow residents to walk on the grounds or even leave the grounds to go to nearby stores. If careful attention to safety is not paid, patients may be in a pedestrian accident when they walk away from the property.
Intersection accidents in Hollywood and across South Florida are a serious concern and causes significant injuries as well as multiple fatalities each year. Intersections are high-risk areas because there are multiple vehicles and multiple types of road users – including pedestrians – using the same roadway and traveling in different directions.
As cars turn, pedestrians cross the street and various road users are all trying to get to their destinations, accidents can occur if road signs are unclear and if people don’t use common sense as well as caution.
Everyone has a responsibility to prevent pedestrian accidents in Hollywood and South Florida. Obviously, motorists have a big responsibility to prevent pedestrian crashes. However, pedestrians, too, can take steps to stay safer.
Perhaps you like to walk around your Hollywood neighborhood for exercise. Or, maybe you simply walk in the beautiful South Florida sunshine to run errands. No matter what your reason for heading out on foot, make sure you do so safely:
According to statistics, pedestrians in wheelchairs were 36% more likely to be in fatal pedestrian accidents when compared with other groups, with men in wheelchairs having especially high rates of serious injury and fatalities.
Researchers who came up with the data did not offer reasons as to why wheelchair pedestrians may be at risk in this way, but there are a few possibilities:
Although pedestrian fatalities declined 4% in Florida last year, the state still sees more pedestrian accidents and fatalities than much of the country. And Broward County has the second-largest number of pedestrian fatalities in Florida.
Obviously, more needs to be done to prevent pedestrian accidents in Broward County, Hollywood, and across southern Florida. According to authorities and safety experts, everyone has a role to play in preventing these types of collisions:
Florida has the unfortunate distinction of having a higher-than-average rate of fatal accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists. In the past few years, the state has gotten serious about making the roads safer for all users – including those on foot and on bikes – but progress will not happen overnight.
In the meantime, pedestrians and motorists both have a responsibility to prevent pedestrian accidents in Hollywood and across Florida. When walking, you can stay safer with these safety tips in mind:
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