There are many causes of pedestrian accidents such as texting and driving, red-light running and impaired driving. Recent research from the University of Nevada Las Vegas, however, sheds new light on these personal injury accidents. Drivers of expensive cars yield less to pedestrians, according to the UNLV study.
Pedestrian accidents are particularly deadly, even at low speeds, because of the lack of protection that pedestrians have against a vehicle. Data from the AAA foundation for Traffic Safety shows that the average risk of serious injury to pedestrians hit by a vehicle is up to 10 percent when the vehicle’s impact speed is 16 mph, 25 percent at 23 mph, 50 percent at 31 mph, 75 percent at 39 mph and 90 percent at 46 mph.
For all drivers, the results of the UNLV’s recent study are disturbing. Only 28 percent of the 461 vehicles in the UNLV study yielded for pedestrians.
The cost of the car, however, significantly indicated whether the motorist would yield. The chance of the driver yielding dropped by three percent for each $1,000 increase in the value of their vehicle. The Kelly Blue Book was used to place a value on the vehicle’s in this study.
Data from earlier UNLV research also showed that motorists, in general, yielded less for men and people of color at mid-block crosswalks compared to women and white pedestrians. This is consistent with earlier studies showing that pedestrian class, race and gender plays a role in driver yielding.
Regardless of the price of the vehicle or the type of its motorist’s negligent behavior, pedestrian accidents have serious and even deadly consequences. Legal representation can help victims of these accidents and their families obtain evidence and seek compensation.
