When a pedestrian accident occurs in Connecticut, the consequences for the victims can be severe. Understanding some of the patterns involved in pedestrian accidents, such as the times these incidents most often occur and which ages are likely to be affected, may help to reduce their overall occurrence.
Statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate that at least 32 percent of pedestrian fatalities take place between the hours of 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. These hours accounted for a significant percentage of such incidents on both weekdays and weekends. In addition, NHTSA data suggests that men are more likely to be the victims of such accidents than women. The male pedestrian fatality rate in 2012 was 2.13 per 100,000 people while the female pedestrian fatality rate was 0.91. At least 69 percent of pedestrians killed that year were male as well.
In terms of age ranges, those who belong to age groups 10-15, 16-20 and 21-24 might have some of the highest rates of pedestrian injury. Minors in general seem to be at particular risk of being victims of pedestrian accidents; 22 percent of the minors killed in traffic incidents in 2012 died as a result of a pedestrian accident. According to the NHTSA, the overall average age of fatal pedestrian accident victims was 46 in 2012.
In cases similar to these, the victims of pedestrian accidents or their immediate family may be eligible to receive compensation from the party responsible for the incident. There may be various means of establishing a party’s negligence in such an accident such as reviewing photographic evidence from the scene or interviewing available witnesses. An attorney may help a pedestrian accident victim substantiate their case against the other party and possibly expedite their receipt of any compensation to which they may be entitled.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, “Traffic Safety Facts,” April 2014
