Man suffers injuries after Oakland hit-and-run pedestrian accident

A hit-and-run accident that occurred on New Year’s Day this year caused a California pedestrian to incur serious injuries.

On New Year’s Day this year, a man in Oakland was hit by a car while walking in a crosswalk, states CBS SF Bay Area. The man, who sustained serious injuries from the accident, like several broken bones and fractured vertebrae, was thrown into a parked car and then into the gutter when the vehicle hit him. After the car collided with the man, the driver barely slowed down before turning a corner and speeding away. This hit-and-run accident was caught on tape by cameras at the intersection where the collision occurred.

Alcohol is often a contributing factor

While it is not known whether or not the driver who caused this accident was intoxicated, alcohol is a contributing factor in many injurious and fatal pedestrian accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately one in eight, or 13 percent, of all drivers involved in a fatal pedestrian crash had a blood alcohol content level at or above 0.08 in 2011. When a driver has a BAC level of 0.08, he or she may have a difficult time controlling his or her speed, become unable to process information effectively and experience impaired perception, states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, even lower levels of alcohol in a driver’s system can impair his or her ability to operate a vehicle safely. For example, the CDC states that a driver with a BAC level as low as 0.02 may experience a reduction in his or her visual functions, ability to track moving objects and his or her ability to perform two tasks at one time. A driver with a BAC level of 0.05 may also have a hard time steering his or her vehicle and have a difficult time coordinating his or her movements.

A serious problem in California

Accidents involving pedestrians, including hit-and-run collisions, are a serious problem in California and throughout the country that continues to grow. The NHTSA states that the number of pedestrians killed in traffic collisions increased by six percent from 2011 to 2012 and nearly one-fifth of all pedestrians killed in an accident in 2012 were involved in a hit-and-run collision. Additionally, California had the highest number of pedestrian fatalities in the nation during 2012.

Pedestrians in California who are hit by a motor vehicle may sustain injuries that harm them financially, emotionally and physically and prohibit them from going back to work, school or the activities of their normal daily life. If you incurred injuries in a pedestrian accident, speak with an attorney in your area to find out what legal steps you should take to protect your rights to fair and proper compensation.

Keywords: accident, personal injury