Many people have unfortunate stories about loved ones being injured in car accidents. These accidents not only affect their victims, but they can leave lasting damage to emotional memories for their family members and friends, too.
Cars are convenient, but they have also proved to be very dangerous. Pedestrian fatalities in the United States have gone up by 41% since 2008, and more than 6,000 pedestrians died in 2018.
Tragically, four thousand children die each year from car crashes.
Car Accidents Have Become Common in Recent Years
In an article written in the New York Times, journalist Allison Arieff performed an experiment on Twitter asking people to share her tweet if they had ever been hit by a car or knew anyone who was hit by a car. Her tweet went viral and was shared thousands of times, along with people sharing their stories about being hit.
There has been speculation that smart cars or automobile safety measures will solve this ongoing problem. Car companies are encouraging pedestrians and cyclists to use RFID tags, which have signals that many new vehicles can detect. This means that the pedestrian would be at fault for getting hit or not wearing the tag rather than the driver.
New Safety Technology Might Cause More Distractions for Drivers
Many car companies are now developing new safety technology that poses the assumption that people need to get out of the way of cars, not the other way around. Although this technology is designed to help drivers, it is beginning to cause drivers to pay less attention to the roads. Multiple studies and reports demonstrate that new safety technologies take the driver’s attention away from the road and may have the potential to be as dangerous as texting while driving.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, car companies are also making their cars bigger—more SUVs, resulting in a 69% increase in pedestrian deaths. Since SUVs sit higher off the ground than other vehicles, it is far more likely for a driver to hit a pedestrian in dangerous bodily areas such as the head or chest.
Discuss Your Accident With a Lawyer
Cars are essential in our society, but they often pose a dangerous threat to pedestrians and bicyclists. If you or a loved one has been hit by a car, you deserve a lawyer who will fight for your right to compensation.
We know how devastating a car accident injury can be, and we want to help you and your family through this challenging process. Contact the Denver Trial Lawyers ® to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney about your car accident injury.
