Pedestrian Injured in Motor Vehicle Accident

Published in Pedestrian Safety on September 5, 2019

Reading Time: 2 minutes

On September 3rd, a man was hit by a car in Worcester, MA, and sustained serious injuries.  The victim was brought to the hospital by first responders following the accident.  The car remained outside the Honey Farms store on Lincoln Street – where the incident occurred.  No update has been provided for the condition of the pedestrian injured in the crash.

Pedestrian Statistics

In 2016, nearly 6000 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes, and in 2015, there were 129,000 pedestrians treated in emergency departments for non-fatal injuries sustained in traffic accidents across the country.  As a result, there have been plans to implement traffic regulations to limit pedestrian injuries throughout the state – especially in Boston.  Vision Zero has been a concept for a while now, and after the recent development of an action plan, it’s been implemented across the country.  Hopefully, we’ll begin to see some changes in Massachusetts as the plan is set in motion.  2016 marked a high for the state, recording 82 pedestrian fatalities.  It was reduced to 71 at the end of 2018, and 43 pedestrian fatalities have been recorded to date in 2019.

Boston data shows that even though fatalities may be decreasing, the total number of pedestrian accidents aren’t.  Thousands of pedestrians are still injured from car accidents, and the rates must decrease.  According to NHTSA, 26% of pedestrian fatalities occur between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and the accident in Worcester yesterday happened in the evening.  If we can’t convince motor vehicle operators to drive more safely, we’ll have to prepare pedestrians to react appropriately.

How to React as a Pedestrian Victim of a Car Accident

The first step to take after getting into a car accident is to ensure your safety and immediately contact emergency responders.  It’s important not to injure yourself anymore.  Next, start to think of the best way to protect yourself moving forward.  If possible try to:

• obtain the license plate # of the vehicle that hit you,
• when first responders arrive, try to remember to get a police report filled out,
• if possible, obtain insurance information from the person who hit you,
• inquire about necessary treatment if you are brought to a hospital,
• try to get a doctor’s note detailing the reason for your visit,
• and lastly, speak with an attorney if you wish to pursue an injury claim.

We Can Help

Furthermore, our Boston personal injury lawyers understand it can be near impossible to react perfectly following a traumatic event.  The pedestrian accident attorneys at Sweeney Merrigan Law are here to help regardless of the situation. We offer a free consultation to those interested in our legal services and work to defend the rights of our clients.  To inquire about a potential case, call us at 617-391-9001 if you’ve fallen victim to negligence.

For more information, call our law office at (617)-391-9001. Or if you would prefer to email us, then please visit our contact page.