Many individuals have had to pull over to the side of the highway, whether it was due to a medical emergency or vehicle difficulty. The regrettable reality is that a person who has to pull over is far too often engaged in an automobile accident that causes catastrophic damage or death. Continue reading for additional facts, and then call 800-333-0000 to schedule a free legal consultation with The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker.
Crash data from the federal government
According to government collision data, 566 people died and more than 14,300 were injured in accidents involving damaged cars on the side of the road between 2016 and 2018. Medical bills, costs of death or disability, and lost income totaled around $8.8 billion.
Who are the victims of the injuries and deaths?
A car going down the road collides with the disabled vehicle in 95 percent of these incidents. However, a vehicle struck a person who was getting out of, getting into, or working on a damaged car, resulting in more than 50% of the deaths and nearly 20% of the serious injuries. According to statistics, roughly 300 pedestrians are involved in these sorts of instances each year, and the number has increased by 25% since 2014.
In fact, pedestrian fatalities are on the upswing in general. More than 6,200 pedestrians died in the United States in 2019. In 2009, little over 4,100 people were killed. According to a survey conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, around 800 pedestrians are killed on interstates each year, with roughly 20% of those deaths involving a damaged car.
A possible solution to the issue
Stopped-vehicle-ahead alerts, according to safety experts, are a straightforward answer to this problem. They’re utilized in certain navigation applications, and safety advocates want sophisticated driving assistance capabilities to integrate them. They also claim that strong headlights and important crash-avoidance technologies are important components of the equation.
Improved warning lights that are brighter and flash more frequently when a vehicle is disabled are another piece of safety equipment that might help. Changes to lane-changing legislation, which compel cars to change lanes whenever practicable, might also assist. If you spot a car on the right shoulder as a motorist, make sure you are moving out of the right lane.
If you have been injured in a car accident, please contact us
If you have been wounded in an automobile accident or if a loved one has died as a result of one, call The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker for a free legal consultation at 800-333-0000. We can review your situation and decide the best course of action. Give us a call right now, and we’ll get started right away.
