New Data Reveals Increase in Pedestrian Deaths

pedestrian deaths increasing A new report by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association reveals there has been a rise in pedestrian fatalities. Ten more pedestrians died in 2015 due to trucks, motorcycles, SUVs and cars than in 2014.

More alarming research reveals a 19 percent spike in pedestrian deaths between 2009 and 2014. The number of pedestrian deaths rose to 4,884 in 2014. For the first time in 25 years, pedestrians represent the largest percentage of traffic deaths.

For 2015, an estimated 15 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities is anticipated. The increase in the amount of people killed while walking or biking takes place during a time when traffic deaths have dropped due to auto manufacturer improvements, such as crashworthiness and crash avoidance.

Yet, pedestrian lives are still at risk. Unlike the European Union, which has made pedestrian safety improvements on their vehicles like fenders that absorb greater impacts, the United States has been slow to incorporate similar changes that could minimize pedestrian deaths.

While alcohol is implicated in many pedestrian fatalities, there are more people than ever walking because of increased health benefits and the high expense of owning a car.

Experts have said this report is not focused enough on other factors like road designs that make for a hostile environment for pedestrians. Oftentimes, highway improvements that could benefit pedestrians, yet slow car speeds, are dismissed because authorities cannot imagine lowering car speed limits.

Still, some communities are taking action and incorporating Vision Zero’s philosophy, a new movement by pedestrian advocates and city officials that believes one pedestrian death is too many and strives to reduce pedestrian fatalities to zero.

Being seriously hurt and sustaining lingering injuries because of a negligent driver can impact your life dramatically. Let the experienced auto accident attorneys at Schmidt Kramer analyze your legal claim today for free.

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$10,043,952.13 Personal Injury
Schmidt Kramer, P.C.partner Gerard C. Kramer won a personal injury action for $10,043,952.13 in Northumberland County on behalf of a volunteer firefighter who was the victim of Intentional Tort. The 50-year-old volunteer firefighter was seriously injured when a barn collapsed, causing a spinal injury which left him a paraplegic. The claim was brought against the arsonist who intentionally started the fire. It is believed that the verdict is the highest ever in Northumberland County.
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$4,034,000.00 Personal Injury
Yesterday a Judge in Union County (Lewisburg, PA) awarded a couple from New Berlin, Pennsylvania, over $4,000,000 because the husband was shot while turkey hunting.You might ask yourself, how does a turkey hunting accident end up with that type of verdict? In order to understand the verdict you would have to know our clients. They are good people who had their life wrecked. Plus, you would have to know the defendant, who should not have been hunting with a gun because he was prohibited after a previous criminal conviction.It is a good verdict, because the Judge was able to do two things with his decision. First, he communicated to two very good people that their losses were something that those of us on the outside could appreciate and value. Mike Hobbins (our client) is a 51 year old guy who lost his sight because a convicted felon --who should not have even possessed a gun-- went hunting illegally, and broke with impunity the most fundamental rule in hunting: identify your target before you pull the trigger. The Judge accepted the financial loss Mr. Hobbins' suffered, but listened closely to the evidence of less tangible losses. When Mike broke down on the stand, because his daughter would end up walking him down the aisle at her wedding, as opposed to how it was supposed to go, the Judge was listening. When Mike could not keep it together, because of how emasculating it was for him not to be able to provide financially for his family, the Judge was listening. It was facts like these that the Judge cited to support the $2,000,000 award for non-economic damages. Second, the Judge wanted to send a message. Union County is a hunting county. Many of the residents hunt there, and people from outside the area come to Union County to hunt. It was my impression, from the Judge's statements as he rendered his decision, that he wanted to send a message to the people in Union County to protect them in their sport. The rules in place to restrict people convicted of crimes not to have a gun are not to be broken. Hunting is serious and you have to identify your target before you shoot. When you turn your back on the rules that are set to provide safety in a sport, you risk being an example. Here, the $1,000,000 punitive damage award sends that message loud and clear.When it really comes down to brass tacks, the right action was taken against a Defendant who may never truly appreciate what kind of impact his reckless choices caused.At Schmidt Kramer, we are injury lawyers. That means we work with people who were hurt in car accidents, who were hurt by the neglect of nursing homes, or those that were seriously injured because of the reckless, thoughtless acts of others. If you or a loved one have been injured in Pennsylvania, we may be able to help. While the verdict yesterday is not one that is representative of every case we do, it does show that serious and dedicated representation can bring good results.Joe ChapmanJanuary 18, 2013
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$1,200,000.00 Personal Injury
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Cars and Trucks Killing More and More Pedestrians Each Year