Lancaster Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Pedestrian Injury in Lancaster County

When an automobile strikes a pedestrian, the results can be tragic. After all, a car is essentially thousands of pounds of steel and glass. Although the driver and passengers inside the passenger vehicle have protections in the form of a steel cage, seat belts, and airbags, the pedestrian has none of these protections.

If you are a pedestrian who was hit by a vehicle, it can feel as though your entire future was altered in mere seconds. Injured pedestrians may suffer from excruciatingly painful, life-altering injuries. These severe pedestrian accident injuries can prevent you from returning to work and can even make it impossible to get through your regular day-to-day activities and tasks. As an injured Lancaster pedestrian, you could find yourself a victim of a permanent disability, disfigurement, or a lifetime of pain and suffering.

After your accident, you may be fighting insurance companies who are reluctant to pay you the money you need and deserve. As a result, medical expenses can pile up and place unnecessary financial burdens on already struggling families. If you are unable to return to work because of your injury, you may be unable to pay your monthly expenses.

With a highly skilled Lancaster pedestrian accident attorney on your side, the outcome of your pedestrian accident could change drastically. At Ciccarelli Law Offices, our team of personal injury attorneys has the necessary experience, knowledge, and resources you need to achieve the best possible results. Contact us today at (717) 291-9400 or (877) 529-2422. Our Lancaster Office is located at 313 West Liberty Place, Lancaster, PA, 17603. You can also reach us at our Philly office, contact our Philadelphia pedestrian accident lawyers by calling (215) 228-0100.

Pedestrians in Lancaster County

While there are many lovely walking opportunities in Lancaster County. Perhaps one of the most notable is the Elizabethtown pedestrian pathways. The pedestrian and bicycle pathway network in the Elizabethtown Borough is a phased planning, design, and construction project adopted in 2010. As of 2016, phases 1-3 were complete. Points of interest on the pedestrian network in Elizabethtown Borough include the Poplar Street Park, downtown Elizabethtown, the Community Park, the Elizabethtown Public Library and the Elizabethtown Train Station.

Phase V of the pedestrian and bicycle network in the Borough will partner with Mount Joy Township to connect Elizabethtown Borough through Mount Joy Township to the Conewago Rail Trail. Elizabethtown also adopted a Complete Streets Policy which evaluates streets for their safety and convenience for pedestrians, bicyclists, and those with disabilities. The Elizabethtown Borough believes investing in pedestrian infrastructure brings physical activity into the daily lives of Lancaster County citizens with a positive effect on overall health.

Pedestrian Accidents in Lancaster County Can Be Devastating

According to lancasteronline.com, although traffic fatalities across the nation have decreased in recent years, the number of pedestrian deaths has increased. In Lancaster County, eight pedestrians were killed in 2018, one more than in 2017. The Lancaster County Planning Commission’s role is to listen to public concerns regarding citizen safety and pass them on to PennDOT. As part of those safety efforts, Lancaster city recently converted one-way streets to two-way, in part, to ensure the roadways were safer for pedestrians. A 2017 Pennsylvania DOT report found that across the state of Pennsylvania, there were 150 pedestrian fatalities and 4,106 pedestrian injuries in 2017. Further information regarding pedestrian accidents in Pennsylvania included:

Nearly 30 percent of pedestrians in the state were hit by a vehicle while they were walking, running, jogging or playing.
About 41 percent of pedestrians hit by a vehicle were entering or crossing an intersection.
Two hundred twenty-four pedestrians were standing still when hit by a vehicle, with 13 resulting in pedestrian fatalities.
One hundred thirty pedestrians were approaching or leaving a vehicle when hit, resulting in 7 fatalities.
Fifty-three percent of pedestrian fatalities occurred in a township, 37 percent in a city and 10 percent in a Borough or Town.
Pedestrians ages 75 and over represent a sizeable portion of pedestrian fatalities in the state, and male pedestrians made up 70 percent of all pedestrian fatalities in the state in 2017. The 45-49 age group had the second-highest number of pedestrian fatalities, followed by the 50-54 age group and the 20-24 age group.

Safety Precautions for Lancaster County Pedestrians

The Pennsylvania DOT offered the following safety precautions for pedestrians in the state and in Lancaster County:

Even though you are in a crosswalk and walking on a green light, never take for granted that drivers will see you or stop for you. Always be a defensive pedestrian.
When crossing a street, look left, right, and left again, continuing to look for vehicles as you cross.
Never stand in the street while waiting to cross a street—remain on the sidewalk until it is safe to cross.
Use the pedestrian signal buttons at marked crosswalks—you will have more time to walk before the traffic light changes.
When sidewalks are available—use them.
If there is no sidewalk, face traffic when walking.
Watch for drivers entering or exiting parking lots and driveways.
Dress in brightly colored clothing to be more visible to drivers. If you walk at night, wear reflective clothing.
Just because you have the right-of-way as a pedestrian, never take the chance that drivers will stop.

Additional Ways Lancaster County Pedestrians Can Avert Disaster

Drivers are frequently distracted and not necessarily watching out for pedestrians. As such, pedestrians should try to be predictable when they’re walking on busy streets. Make sure you always walk in designated places and cross only at crosswalks. Obey all traffic laws and signs. Also, never attempt to cross the street on a red light, even if you believe an oncoming vehicle is far enough away. If you must walk in an area without sidewalks, always walk on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic. If there is a shoulder on the road, stand still and out of the way when cars pass you.

Walk defensively in the same way you drive defensively. This means not talking on your phone, texting, or using headsets or MP3 players while you are walking. These distractions could cause you to miss the critical sounds of traffic around you. Do not walk when you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, even certain prescription drugs. Never assume that because you can see a driver, he or she can see you as well. Drivers can be distracted while driving, which means they may be more focused on the burrito they’re eating, the radio station they are fiddling with or the ringing cell phone on the dash than looking out for pedestrians.

Pedestrian Accidents and the Elderly

While small children are more likely to be involved in a pedestrian accident, elderly pedestrians are more likely to die in a pedestrian accident. Children are not only smaller, thus harder to see; they often tend to dart across a road with no warning, pulling away from a parent. The elderly are victims of pedestrian accidents because they move more slowly, therefore may not be able to cross the street completely before the light changes. Impatient or distracted drivers could hit an older person crossing the road simply because they were not paying attention.

As we age, flexibility, reflexes, vision, and hearing tend to diminish, at least to some extent. The elderly pedestrian may fail to see a vehicle, mainly if it is coming quickly from one side or the other. Because of a loss of flexibility and agility, an elderly pedestrian may find it more difficult to get out of the way of an oncoming car quickly. In addition, because of diminished hearing, and the number of hybrid vehicles which make no noise, many simply do not hear the car approaching in time. Many elderly pedestrian accidents occur in parking lots and in urban neighborhoods as an elderly person attempts to cross the street.

Lancaster Injury Lawyers—There When You Need Them

At Ciccarelli Law Offices, our Lancaster County pedestrian accident attorneys are here to help you following a tragic pedestrian accident. We understand that you may need money immediately to pay your medical expenses resulting from the pedestrian accident injuries as well as your day-to-day expenses if you are unable to return to work. Our injury attorneys are proud to represent all injured Lancaster County residents, including those living in Lancaster, Ephrata, Elizabethtown, Columbia, Lititz, Millersville, Willow Street, Mount Joy, Leola, New Holland, Manheim, East Petersburg, Akron, Denver, Maytown, and Reamstown.

No matter where you are injured in Lancaster County, our highly experienced pedestrian accident attorneys are ready to assist you. We offer a free initial consultation and review of your case and will always take the time to listen to you and your concerns prior to offering legal advice. Contact us today at (717) 291-9400 or (877) 529-2422. Our Lancaster Office is located at 313 West Liberty Place, Lancaster PA 17603. We are ready to help you during this difficult time.