Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
We often talk about drinking and driving but overlook the risks involved with drinking and walking. According to the Associated Press, more than a third of the pedestrians who were killed in 2011 reported blood-alcohol levels that were over the legal limit for driving.
Our Fort Myers Beach pedestrian accident lawyers understand that many people believe that as long as they’re not behind the wheel while intoxicated that they’re okay. Unfortunately, there are many other risks out there. When we consume alcohol, our abilities to make safe and responsible decisions are hindered. This affects us while walking as intoxication may stop us from crossing the road at the right place or at the right time, which is how many of these accidents happen.
But we must not blame the victim. Even in cases where a victim is determined to be partially responsible, he or she may be entitled to collect damages from an at-fault driver, and even from their own insurance carrier.
Fort Myers Beach is a common place for these kinds of accidents. When we go to the beach, we go to let loose. Many people’s favorite way to let loose is to have a few drinks. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of traffic in this area, too, which often mixes poorly with the crowds.
Young adults are at particularly high risk. According to recent statistics released from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about half of all the pedestrians who were between the ages of 25 and 35 who were killed in a pedestrian accident in 2011 reported a blood-alcohol level higher than the legal driving limit.
In comparison, less than 15 percent of all drivers involved in fatal pedestrian accidents were over the .08 limit.
Because of these recent findings, officials with the NHTSA are working to help keep pedestrians safe. The NHTSA is making $2 million in pedestrian safety grants available to cities with the highest rate of pedestrian deaths. But it doesn’t end there. Officials with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have also launched a new website to offer pedestrian safety tips along with various resources that cities and municipalities can use to improve pedestrian safety in the area.
On average, a pedestrian was killed every two hours and injured every eight minutes in traffic crashes across the U.S. in 2011.
Overall, more than 30 percent (or close to 10,000) of all traffic accident fatalities that were recorded in 2011 involved a driver who was legally drunk.
If you’ve been drinking, we stress that you find a safe and sober way to get around. You might think you’re doing the right thing by walking instead of driving, but we want you to know that you’re still at serious risks while walking intoxicated near motor-vehicle traffic. Stay safe out there and make sure you’ve got a sober way to get home, each and every time. Your life depends on it.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, today for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-283-2900.
More Blog Entries:
Florida Pedestrians Injured by Cell Phone Use?, Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, July 8, 2013
Local Woman Killed in Fort Myers Pedestrian Accident, Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, June 14, 2013
