Victims Family Says Deadly Pedestrian Accident Could Have Been Prevented

A 74-year-old woman died from injuries sustained in a pedestrian accident after she was struck by a car at the intersection of Fruitridge Road and Lawrence Drive in Sacramento in December of last year.

The woman, a beloved grandmother and great-grandmother, had the right-of-way and proper signal to walk when she began crossing the street.

However, according to the California Highway Patrol, the driver of the vehicle that struck the woman also had the right-of-way, as indicated by a green traffic light.

Now, both the victims family and the driver want city officials to change the traffic signal pattern at the intersection to indicate a red light for motorists whenever the crosswalk sign is signaling pedestrians to walk.

California’s Yield to Pedestrians Rule

In California, as well as the majority of states across the U.S., all motorists are required to yield to pedestrians, even if the motorist has a green traffic light.

Such was the case in this accident, and the victims family feels the driver was acting in a negligent manner when she failed to yield to the victim as she crossed the roadway. They believe this tragedy could have been prevented, had the driver followed the yield-to-pedestrians rule.

The driver claims she was not negligent and was aware of the traffic rule that requires all motorists to stop for pedestrians. The driver claims that she travels through the intersection on a regular basis, and has stopped for pedestrians in the crosswalk before. This time, she did not see the pedestrian until it was too late.

The victims family still feels the driver should be held accountable for her actions. According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver could face charges of involuntary manslaughter for the fatal crash.

In addition to the yield-to-pedestrians law, both families feel extra precautions, such as coordinating red traffic lights to coincide with pedestrian walk signals, are warranted at the intersection.

When someone is involved in a pedestrian accident, the results can be tragic, and are oftentimes fatal. If you or someone you love has been the victim of a car versus pedestrian accident, contact one of the leading Sacramento personal injury lawyers at Arnold Law Firm today. We will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.

Call (916) 777-7777 or fill out our CASE EVALUATION FORM for a FREE review of your case.