Many people have been in a position where they had to pull over to the side of the highway, whether due to a medical emergency or car trouble. The unfortunate truth is that all too often, a person who has to pull over is involved in a car accident that results in serious injury or death. Keep reading for more information on the statistics, and then contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 if you require a free legal consultation.
Federal Crash Statistics
According to federal crash statistics, about 566 people died and more than 14,300 suffered injuries between 2016 and 2018 in accidents that involved disabled vehicles on the side of the road. The cost of this was about $8.8 billion in medical costs, costs of death or disability, and lost wages.
Who is Suffering the Injuries and Deaths?
In 95% of these accidents, it is a vehicle traveling down the road that collides with the one that is disabled. However, more than 50% of the deaths, about 20% of the serious injuries occurred when a vehicle hit a person who was getting out of, getting into, or working on a disabled vehicle. The stats show that these types of cases involve about 300 pedestrians every year and that it has gone up by 25% since 2014.
In fact, pedestrian fatalities as a whole are on the rise. In 2019, more than 6,200 pedestrians died across the country. Compare this to just over 4,100 in 2009. A study from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety found that about 800 pedestrians are killed on interstates each year, and nearly 20% of them involve a disabled vehicle.
A Potential Solution to this Problem
Safety advocates point to a simple solution to this problem: stopped-vehicle-ahead warnings. They are used in some navigation apps, and safety advocates want them to be included in advanced driver assistance features. They also say that good headlights and vital crash avoidance technology are pieces of the puzzle.
Other safety gear that could help includes improved hazard lights that are brighter and flash more frequently when a vehicle is disabled. Change to move over laws that require drivers to change lanes if possible could help too. As a driver, make sure that you are moving out of the right lane if you see a vehicle on the right shoulder.
Contact Us if You Have Been Injured in a Car Accident
If you have been injured in a car accident or have lost a loved one due to this type of accident, we urge you to contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation. We can go over your case to determine the best way forward. Call now, and we will get started right away.
