• 18
  • November
    2011

A string of pedestrian accidents have overtaken the Las Vegas area in recent months. In one particularly tragic accident, three children were hit by a car while crossing a North Las Vegas street, killing one and injuring the others.

All told, Clark County pedestrian accidents have killed 84 people and injured another 2,000 in the last three years.

The accidents have caused public outcry from Las Vegas personal injury attorneys, journalists and safety advocates. They say the problem is twofold: Las Vegas streets are not designed to be pedestrian-friendly and drivers either don't know or don't care about rules governing pedestrian safety.

Las Vegas Not Designed for Walking

Apart from the Strip, Las Vegas was designed to be a driving city, not a walking city. Wide boulevards with few traffic lights encourage drivers to travel at near-highway speeds. Long blocks and a low number of crosswalks mean pedestrians are frequently tempted to jaywalk. Combine this with poor maintenance and frequently broken traffic signals and you have a recipe for disaster.

Experts have recommended some simple steps the city can talk to reduce fatal accidents. For example, the city could reduce speed limits in areas frequented by pedestrians. It could also create buffer zones between the sidewalk and the road and make sure that crosswalks are clearly marked.

Drivers Don't Understand Traffic Laws

None of these safety improvements will work, though, if drivers don't follow the rules.

A recent investigative report by 13 Action News showed that many Las Vegas drivers don't understand the rules that apply to pedestrians crossing the street. This may be because so many Las Vegas residents come from out of state and laws are different in each part of the country.

As a general rule, pedestrians always have the right-of-way when crossing at an intersection. Drivers must yield to pedestrians and may not proceed into the intersection until the pedestrians have crossed into the lanes going the other direction.

The burden of safety isn't on drivers alone - pedestrians have a duty to refrain from placing a motorist in a position that makes it impossible for the driver to avoid a collision.

Las Vegas pedestrian accidents are far too common. If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident, you may have legal recourse. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you determine your best course of action.

Source: 13 Action News, "Drivers May Not Know Full Pedestrian Safety Laws," Marco Villarreal, Nov. 3, 2011.