The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is planning to crack down on safety violations involving drivers, pedestrians and cyclists in response to the rising number of statewide fatal crashes. Deputies will be assigned to the country’s most dangerous intersections, but it not clear which locations will be targeted or how many.
Many of these intersections have been known for their dangerous designs that have resulted in numerous injuries in crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists over the past 7 years. According to an announcement from the Sheriff’s Department, deputies will look for jaywalking pedestrians or those who fail to yield to drivers. Additionally, motorists who are speeding, making illegal turns, or not stopping for signs or signals will be targeted. Bicyclists who aren’t following the same traffic laws that apply to drivers behind the wheel will also be on the deputies’ radar.
In the last three years, the department has investigated 26 fatal and injury collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists countywide. According to the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) pedestrians were one of the groups of road users to experience an increase in fatalities in the United States in 2013, totaling 4,735 deaths. The 5-year trend for bicyclist fatalities rose to 726 fatalities in 2012—the highest in 5 years. As a percentage of the total motor vehicle-related deaths in 2012, pedestrian fatalities represented 14.1% and bicyclist fatalities represented 2.2% for a total of 16.3%. (Transportation.gov)
Pedestrians and bicyclists involved in accidents often times suffer serious and catastrophic injuries. The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker has been successfully handling serious and catastrophic injury claims for over 39 years. Our clients rest assured knowing they are well represented by a skilled team of accident injury attorneys.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured as a pedestrian or bicyclists, we can help. Email us today using our case submission form or call us at (800) 333-0000 for a free consultation. Our experienced injury attorneys are here to help with offices in Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Bakersfield, and Fresno, California and in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. We’ll fight for you!®
