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Trail Etiquette in Seattle
Pedestrians are by far the most vulnerable things on the road. And while they are often cautious about speeding cars, they tend to neglect a less-known danger that comes on two wheels: bicycles. Read the rest »
Trick-or-Treat: Stay Safe on the Street
Despite decades of urban legends about monstrous strangers hiding razors in candy, the real danger for trick-or-treaters comes from cars on the road. Amidst the fun and revelry of Halloween, it is important to remember that there are drivers on the streets among trick-or-treaters…and not all of them are driving safely. Read the rest »
Pedestrian Safety in Seattle – 8th Best in the Country?
Smart Growth America has looked at 104 of the most dangerous populated cities in the entire country; out of these, Seattle was ranked eighth-safest for pedestrians – that is, the 97th most dangerous out of the 104 metropolitan areas.
Seattle announced its intention in 2015 to have absolutely no pedestrian deaths or injuries from accidents with vehicles, including bicycles. When compared with other cities with the same goal, such as Nashville, Seattle is doing “okay” in safety. Nashville had 50 pedestrian and cyclist deaths in 2016; Seattle had eight in that same year. Better than the 26 deaths that Washington, D.C., saw and the 13 deaths that made headlines in Portland. Read the rest »
Who’s Liable If You’re Injured by a Skateboarder?
Skateboarding seems fun. But what happens if that fun ride turns into a dangerous situation? If you’ve been injured by a skateboarder, is he or she to blame? And does the skateboarder have to pay for your injuries and costs? Read the rest »
Look Down: the Dangers of Walking and Texting
You’ve probably seen the type of video that shows a person walking while looking down at his phone. The video usually ends with him walking into a pole, falling into a hole, or facing some other kind of danger. But while these videos may provide a good laugh, and no one is usually seriously injured as a result, they do demonstrate the very real danger of looking down at your phone when you’re out walking.
Arguably, most if not all pedestrians today have smartphones on them. And in many instances, they’re using them to text while continuing on their way. But this phenomenon has had some terrible results. Read the rest »
Bicyclist v. Pedestrian: Who Wins the Game of Life or Death?
The drivers of motor vehicles are always being told to watch out for pedestrians and bicyclists, and pedestrians and cyclists are always being told to keep an eye out for cars and trucks. So, why isn’t anyone telling bicyclists to look out for pedestrians, and vice versa? While a bicycle weighs nowhere near as much as a car, the weight of its rider combined with its velocity can deliver enough force to seriously injure or kill an unsuspecting pedestrian. Kill a pedestrian? Yes, that’s happened more than once in New York’s Central Park, as well as in downtown Washington, D.C., and overseas in such places as Australia and the United Kingdom. Read the rest »
Pedestrians, Stay Safe in Seattle this Black Friday!
You might think that as a pedestrian you have nothing to worry about when going Black Friday shopping. After all, what’s going to happen when you’re on your own two feet? In fact, pedestrian accidents can happen more often, and have worse consequences, than car accidents on Black Friday. Drivers also become pedestrians at some point when they need to walk into a store. On Black Friday, even that can be dangerous.
We’ve all heard the horror stories of people that were trampled by other people when trying to enter certain stores on Black Friday, or of how people become injured when actually getting into fights over Black Friday sales. But when these things occur, or when you’re hurt as a pedestrian during Black Friday shopping, who can be held liable?
The Reality of Fatal Pedestrian Accidents in Seattle
Seattle and other Washington-area communities have a reputation for being pedestrian and bike-friendly, with many popular outdoor shopping areas, markets, and parks. Unfortunately, accidents do occur, and when they do, pedestrians are especially vulnerable to injury or even death.
The Washington Traffic Safety Commission, which leads statewide efforts to save lives and prevent injuries on roadways, has stated that while pedestrian deaths and serious injuries have been on the decline, the rate of decrease has been slower for pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries than overall fatalities and serious injuries. They also claim that pedestrian deaths account for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities, which is up from 11 percent from 2006 to 2008.
Who’s Liable in a Seattle Crosswalk Accident?
This April news story on a tragic crosswalk accident in North Seattle involving a teen being struck by an elderly driver once again highlighted an overlooked problem of traffic safety. Whereas Seattleites might assume a reasonable expectation of safety when walking on sidewalks and crosswalks throughout the city, the actual numbers indicate the reality is far more disturbing.
As stated in an article by the Seattle Times, pedestrian deaths increased by an estimated 10% nationwide in 2015, while they leapt by 28% in Washington State. There were 32 pedestrian deaths in Washington in the first six months of 2014, while the state saw 41 such deaths during the same period last year. Read the rest »
Why Do Seattle Child Pedestrian Accidents Happen?
As parents, the health and well-being of our children is our utmost priority. That’s why the thought of an accident striking a child unexpectedly always hits close to home. Unfortunately, child pedestrians are at increasing risk of crosswalk accidents. With the steady increase of cars on the road, the number of pedestrian accidents and fatalities in Washington State has been on the rise the past few years.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 69,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic accidents in 2011. Of those, a staggering 11,000 of those were children. The NHTSA also states that one-fifth (21%) of children 14 and younger killed in traffic crashes were pedestrians. No matter how careful parents might be when it comes to their child’s safety, accidents can still happen. Read the rest »
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