Where Do Pedestrian Accidents Happen in LA County?
Southern California has traditionally been a place associated with cars and car culture, and Los Angeles is famously described as a place where “nobody walks,” but of course nothing could be further from the truth. Pedestrians are out on the streets and sidewalks year-round in places like Los Angeles and Pasadena for shopping, getting errands done, exercising, enjoying the city, and even commuting to work. But with the dense mix of cars, bicycles, and pedestrians on the roads of Pasadena and other cities in Southern California, pedestrian accidents are bound to happen, and, as you might imagine, it is usually the pedestrian who suffers the most serious injuries when a pedestrian accident occurs.
The LA Times Looks at Pedestrian Accidents By Intersection
Last summer, the LA Times conducted an in-depth investigation of the growing problem of pedestrian accidents in Los Angeles County. Their investigation indicated that 15% of the pedestrian accidents in LA County occur at 817 intersections which account for less than 1% of the intersections county-wide. The study also examined the number of pedestrian accidents by neighborhood, finding that the below neighborhoods accounted for the most accidents over a 12-year period:
- Downtown LA: 659 pedestrian accidents
- Koreatown: 407 pedestrian accidents
- Hollywood: 369 pedestrian accidents
- Westlake: 343 pedestrian accidents
- East Hollywood / Los Feliz: 327 pedestrian accidents
Although Pasadena was not among the top neighborhoods for pedestrian accidents, the interactive map and list of accidents by intersection did highlight the more dangerous Pasadena intersections for pedestrians:
- South Fair Oaks Ave and East Colorado Blvd
- East Washington Blvd and North Lake Ave
- South Arroyo Parkway and East Colorado Blvd
What to Do If You’ve Been in a Pedestrian Accident
The first thing to do if you’ve been in a pedestrian accident is, of course, to get medical attention for your injuries. Clearly, if you’ve been in a serious accident, emergency help is needed, but even if you’ve been in what feels like a less serious incident with an automobile or other vehicle, you are still advised to seek medical attention in order to understand the full nature of your injuries and to assess internal bleeding, trauma, and other less visible issues. Without getting medical attention, you may have a difficult time assessing what your damages are and collecting those damages from the other party.
You should never accept a payout or offer from a driver without consulting with an attorney. A negligent driver is usually trying to get you to accept less than what you are owed in order to protect their own interests. It is in your interest to contact a pedestrian accident attorney as soon as possible after an accident to assess whether you have a claim and to begin the process of investigating the accident and working towards a swift and full recovery for your injuries.
Pasadena pedestrian accident attorney Andrew Ritholz has many years of experience in bringing and winning pedestrian accident claims on behalf of victims, including a $1.25 million recovery for a pedestrian injured by a vehicle. Contact the Law Office of Andrew Ritholz today to schedule a free consultation regarding your pedestrian accident.
