Rash of Pedestrian Injuries in San Francisco, Oakland

There has been a rash of pedestrian injuries in San Francisco in recent weeks. First, there was an elderly woman struck by a Muni train in San Francisco while she crossed the street. Then there was a tragic accident where a pedestrian was killed while crossing the street with his twin brother. On February 10, there were two almost simultaneous accidents in San Fransisco. Both involved city vehicle, and one ended in a pedestrian's death. Finally, a man was injured when a light post got tangled up with a Muni bus, causing the light post to fall and hit the man in the head. Recently, there was a similar accident in Oakland. On February 9, a 45-year old woman was killed in a hit and run accident at the intersection of Eighth and Mandela.

These are obviously very sad situations. Perhaps not as obvious is that they could have - and should have - been avoided. The most common causes of pedestrian accidents:

• The driver failed to look before pulling into or out of a driveway;
• The driver ran a red light
• The driver made a right turn into a cross walk and hitting a pedestrian;
• The driver ran a red light;
• The driver failed to stop at a stop sign;
• The driver did not yield;
• The driver was drunk.

The reality is that as long as people and cars are near each other - and as long as drivers are in a hurry, focused on cell phones, looking for directions, etc., there will continue to be pedestrian versus auto accidents. Tragically, many of these accidents involve children. A number of our clients have been minors struck by cars while crossing the street. Here are a few tips for pedestrians:

• Assume the driver does not see you - don't assume that, because you have the right of way, the driver will stop for you.
• Wait until you have made eye contact with a driver before stepping out into the crosswalk.
• Avoid talking on your cell phone, texting and the like when you are crossing the street.
• A really basic one - look both ways before you cross the street.

For more information on pedestrian accidents, visit the website of Clancy & Diaz, LLP. You can contact us with any questions and - whether you are a client or not not - we will get back to you.