January 5, 2024

Due to a rise in pedestrian accidents that have resulted in major injuries and fatalities, several cities and municipalities are considering or have already approved changes, policy updates, and new driving laws. Some cities have even moved to ban drivers from turning right on red lights. Washington D.C.’s City Council approved a right-on-red ban in 2022 which takes effect in 2025 and the incoming Mayor of Chicago has included in his transition plan an idea to limit right turns on red. Ann Arbor in Michigan now bans right turns at red lights in its downtown area and San Francisco leaders recently voted to urge their transportation agency to ban right on red citywide. Cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, and Denver have also looked into such a ban.

Pedestrian and bicycle accident victims are speaking up in favor of these moves while critics say such blanketed bans would not make streets any safer. Safety advocates counter that argument by pointing out that official crash reports often tend to be mislabeled and as a result underestimate the dangers. The United States is one of the few major countries that allows right turns on red. Such turns have never been allowed across most of New York City, where large signs alert visitors that the practice is prohibited there.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that in 2022 over 7,500 pedestrians were struck and killed by vehicles in 2022.  Much of this increase has been attributed to an increase in larger vehicles, such as pickup trucks and SUVs, on the road. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that likelihood a vehicle turning right would injure a pedestrian fatally was 89% higher when the vehicle was a pickup and 63% higher when it was an SUV. The reasoning is these vehicles have larger blind spots and deadlier force associated with the heavier models.

Crashes involving vehicles turning right can be particularly fatal due to a combination of factors that amplify the risk of severe injuries or fatalities with the key element being the interaction between the turning vehicle and the pedestrian in the crosswalk. As vehicles turn right, especially at intersections with traffic signals, pedestrians often have the right of way to cross. Drivers often fail to notice pedestrians, especially if they are focused on checking for oncoming traffic from the left. The turning motion of the vehicle also increases the potential for a more direct and forceful impact. Pedestrians are vulnerable as they may not anticipate the turning vehicle or may misjudge its speed, leading to inadequate reaction time. In some cases, drivers may execute the turn without a proper check for pedestrians in the crosswalk, resulting in a collision.

Visibility may also be a critical factor. Large vehicles, such as pickups, SUVs, trucks, or buses, may have blind spots that hinder the driver’s ability to see pedestrians. This reduced visibility can contribute to accidents, making it essential for drivers to exercise extra caution when turning right, especially in urban areas with high pedestrian traffic.

The injury and fatality risks in pedestrian accidents involving right-turning vehicles arise from factors such as inattentiveness, failure to yield, reduced visibility, and the vulnerability of pedestrians to the impact of turning vehicles. Increased awareness, adherence to traffic regulations, and improved road design can all help alleviate these risks and enhance pedestrian safety.

We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others.  At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We would be honored to represent you!

 

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INSURANCE COMPANIES KNOW US BECAUSE THEY’VE PAID OUR CLIENTS OVER $130 MILLION DOLLARS.

$2.9

MILLION

CAR ACCIDENT INJURY

Guenard & Bozarth llp obtained a $2,962,903 jury verdict in the Sacramento County Superior Court for plaintiff David Schoonover, who suffered head and neck injuries and fractures in a head-on accident on Roseville Road in Roseville on July 22, 2012

$300

THOUSAND

HAIR SALON INJURY

Guenard & Bozarth LLP recently settled a case for $300,000 involving a hair weave that went terribly wrong. Our client was a young lady, and aspiring model, who experienced pressure necrosis from a tight weave and it changed her life.

$500

THOUSAND

SLIP & FALL INJURY

Guenard & Bozarth LLP recently settled a slip and fall case for $500,000 a couple weeks before trial. The client slipped and fell on a wet piece of cardboard in a grocery store and sustained a serious shoulder injury that required surgery.

$300

THOUSAND

NEGLIGENCE INJURY

On February 13, 2013 Maricela, a Certified Nursing Assistant presented to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Emergency Room with complaint of neck and back pain. She was diagnosed with a neck strain and was given Ibuprofen and instructed to return if her symptoms did not subside.

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– Bill
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My daughter was involved in an automobile accident in an intersection on her 17th birthday. The other person said it was her fault and my daughter said her light was green. I am not the sort of person who sues but my insurance
– Sharon
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