Monday, January 11, 2016

Is the driver always at fault in a pedestrian vs car accident?

Auto accidents are unfortunately a part of everyday life. According to statistics from the National Highway Transport Safety Administration (NHTSA) as many as 32,675 Americans were killed in 2014 in traffic accidents. The sunny news is that from 2005 to 2014, fatalities and injuries (25 and 13% respectively) have been in a basic decline. This is terrific but when you look at the totals, such as that 32,675 number, America still has lots of work to do to do before any smiling occurs pertaining to its driving safety numbers.  


Therefore, as one can imagine, there is an abundance of legislation to deal with auto accidents, which Baltimore, MD accident lawyers confirm and the best ones work for the Injury Law Center. Many of these accidents involve trucks that often are the cause of fatalities and severe injuries. The laws are extensive and require the professional expertise of a specialized accident lawyer to fully comprehend and apply depending on the circumstances and available evidence in each case.

You should know which laws come into play when the accident is between one vehicle and a pedestrian and whether or not the driver will always be held liable in such cases.

The laws explicitly state that car and motorcycle drivers/riders are required to exercise extra precaution when operating in proximity to a pedestrian. However, this does not mean that the pedestrian is always faultless. In fact, often, negligent pedestrians can be held liable for the damages caused by a car and pedestrian accident.

The driver’s duty of care

As mentioned, the driver or operator of a motor vehicle is legally expected to be extra careful while operating in the proximity of a pedestrian. So how is it determined whether or not the driver was careful enough in an accident between a car and a pedestrian?

For the most part, the actions of the driver in question are compared to the actions of someone considered normal, prudent, and careful and how this person would act and manage this situation in a similar scenario. If it is found that the standard of care exercised was lacking, then the driver is held liable.

Instances in which a pedestrian maybe held responsible for a car-pedestrian crash

Assuming that the driver was driving carefully and was not negligent or reckless in any manner or form, if it so happens that the sudden, unpredictable action of a pedestrian caused an accident then the pedestrian may be held liable for the damages. This will involve Baltimore, MD accident attorneys and you can find the best legal help in the entire Baltimore area at the Injury Law Center.

So for instance, let’s say that a driver is driving well within the speed limit and makes his way through a rather congested commercial district. A pedestrian suddenly runs out from behind a parked vehicle and into the path of the driver, not giving him enough time to react, brake, and stop. In such a situation, it would be absurd to blame the driver for the accident. Eastern Maryland and Baltimore accident lawyers agree that the pedestrian should know better than to act in such an obliviously reckless manner.

After all, they are the ones who are totally exposed. Even if the driver is at fault, the driver is probably going to come through this accident relatively unscathed. The pedestrians are the ones who need to be extra mindful.

The finest law firm in the Baltimore area

That was just one example, there are many other cases in which a pedestrian may be determined to be the negligent person in a car - pedestrian accident. You should consult a Baltimore accident lawyer for more details and there is none better than the Injury Law Center (http://www.injlawcenter.com/). They know how to get the job done and they know what a winning case looks like. They also know how to defend people who made a mistake. Do not be a victim twice, give them a call! 

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