High Risks for Pedestrians and Cyclists on the Streets of San Francisco
Four Accidents Involving Non-Drivers Occur within 24 hours in San Francisco
Many intersections in and around San Francisco are notoriously dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. As previously discussed on this blog, this year has been particularly deadly for pedestrians in the city. Just recently, between March 10 and March 11, 2014, four collisions involving non-drivers were reported in San Francisco in less than 24 hours. These accidents occurred as follows:
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March 10, 5:15 p.m. – A driver failed to yield and hit a small five-year-old boy and babysitter, who were crossing at 37th and Fulton in the crosswalk. Emergency personnel transported both the boy and the babysitter to San Francisco General Hospital with head injuries and leg injuries, respectively. The driver received a citation for failure to yield.
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March 10, 8:45 p.m. – A taxi driver collided with a bicyclist at Market and 5th Streets. The bicyclist went to San Francisco General Hospital for emergency treatment, while the taxi driver was not injured.
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March 11, 6:09 a.m. – A driver struck a person in a crosswalk at the intersection of Sacramento and Battery Streets. That pedestrian was also transported to San Francisco General Hospital, though is expected to survive the injuries. The driver was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
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March 11, 10:13 a.m. – A driver collided with a bicyclist near the intersection of Market and Hyde Streets. The cyclist was taken to an unknown hospital for treatment.
These recent accidents are further illustration of the high risk for pedestrian and cyclist accidents and injuries on San Francisco streets. Drivers regularly fail to yield to pedestrian right-of-way in crosswalks, especially when making left turns. Many bike riders are injured in “right hook” accidents when drivers fail to look and to move carefully to the right before making right turns.
Accidents Can Lead to Many Kinds of Injuries
Unfortunately, failing to yield and other driver errors result in sometimes devastating and permanent injuries for the accident victims. When struck, pedestrians and bicyclists often hit the car in multiple places, and are often thrown to the ground with enough force to cause additional injuries. Some common injuries suffered by pedestrians and cyclists in motor vehicle collisions include:
- Broken or crushed bones
- Traumatic brain injuries and head contusions
- Internal organ damage or internal bleeding
- Spinal injuries, including spinal fractures and disc injuries
Do you need a San Francisco Pedestrian or Bike Accident Lawyer?
Any type of motor vehicle accident has the potential to cause serious injuries. But pedestrians and cyclists have very little, if any, protection from cars in the event of a collision. For this reason, when a car collides with a non-driver such as a pedestrian or bicyclist, the resulting injuries are often severe, disabling, or even life-threatening.
Such injuries may require weeks or months of medical treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery time. During this recovery, many victims may not be able to work or continue living an ordinary life. When drivers cause injuries to a pedestrian or bicyclist because they break the traffic laws or drive in an otherwise careless manner, it is only fair to hold those drivers liable for all of the victim’s accident-related losses.
Contact an Accident Attorney in San Francisco
As the recent string of accidents shows, pedestrian and cyclist accidents can happen to anyone. If you’ve been the victim of any type of accident, contact our experienced accident lawyers in San Francisco today by clicking here.
Boone Callaway is a personal injury & medical malpractice lawyer in San Francisco who has been working with clients in the Bay Area for over 25 years. Mr. Callaway is one of only a few personal injury litigators in San Francisco who is a Super Lawyer, AV Rated and is also a member of ABOTA – American Board of Trial Advocates.
