A woman was fatally injured in a San Francisco car accident after she was struck by an SUV on Highway 37 in Vallejo, the night of February 6, 2010. According to a CBS News report, a black Cadillac Escalade traveling on the westbound lanes of the highway hit the woman. She was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after the crash. No one else was injured in the accident. An investigation is ongoing.

I offer my deepest condolences to everybody who knew and loved this woman. Please keep the grieving family in your prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were two fatalities and 41 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Vallejo. In Solano County as a whole, seven people died and 181 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007. Also, countywide, car accidents claimed 47 lives and injured 1,810 during the same year.

Pedestrian Laws

This news report leaves several questions unanswered. Where exactly was the woman walking on the roadway at the time of the fatal collision? Was she in a marked or unmarked crosswalk or at an intersection? Was she walking along the side of the road? Did the driver have the green light at the time of accident? Was the pedestrian crossing against the light? Was the driver distracted, impaired, speeding or otherwise negligent? I trust investigators are looking into these and other factors in order to determine exactly how this accident occurred.

California law requires drivers to yield right-of-way to pedestrians walking in marked or unmarked crosswalks. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.” The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.” The pedestrian also has the responsibility to cross the street legally.

An Experienced Injury Lawyer Can Help

In such cases, it would be in the best interests of the victim's family to contact an experienced San Francisco personal injury lawyer who will stay on top of the official investigation and ensure that their rights are protected. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will also be able to determine whether a dangerous or defective roadway contributed to the accident. If that was the case, the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Please remember that any such claim against a California governmental agency must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.

We are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.

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