Pedestrian Accidents and Older Adults

Florida is the deadliest state in the nation for pedestrian accidents. The reasons are many, but include poorly-designed communities, lack of public-transportation options and an aging population. Nationwide, the number of serious and fatal pedestrian accidents involving older adults is expected to continue to climb with the aging of the Baby Boomers.

Fort Lauderdale Pedestrian Accident Attorney Richard Ansara and the staff at our law offices are committed to fighting for the rights of pedestrians who are seriously injured or killed in an accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 1 in 6 of the nation’s fatal pedestrian accidents occur in Florida, where 4 of the nation’s 5 most dangerous metro areas are located: Orlando, Tampa/St. Pete, Jacksonville and Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Pompano Beach.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports an average of 500 pedestrians are killed each year and more than 7,000 are injured.

• Miami-Dade: 75+ (1,300+)
• Broward: 50+ (950+)
• Orange: 40+ (500+)
• Palm Beach: 30+ (550+)

Transportation for America’s report, “Aging in Place: Stuck without Options” identified Florida as having four of the nation’s five most dangerous metro areas. Miami-Fort Lauderdale ranks fourth worst in the nation for the number of serious and fatal pedestrian accidents. By 2015, more than 15 million senior citizens will live in communities that lack adequate public transportation options.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports more than 750 senior citizens are killed each year in pedestrian accidents – accounting for one-fifth of all such traffic fatalities. Another 5,000 seniors over the age of 65 are injured each year.

Our attorneys know that back-over accidents are another significant risk faced by our older loved ones, who too often can’t get out of the way fast enough to avoid being struck by approaching traffic. The government estimates 300 people a year are killed and more than 18,000 are injured in back-over injuries. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed requiring backup cameras be installed in all vehicles, but has since unfortunately bowed to pressure from the auto industry by indefinitely postponing those requirements.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 50,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year after sustaining non-fatal injuries in pedestrian accidents involving older adults.

The NHTSA offers older adults the following safety tips:

• Dress to be seen by drivers.
• Wear appropriate shoes.
• Use sidewalks and paths whenever possible.
• Be aware of cars, vegetation and other obstructions that may prevent you from being seen.
• Plan your route – Avoid hazardous routes.
• Look left, right, left – when walking facing traffic, oncoming traffic will first come from the left.
• Don’t rely on traffic signals for safety – check visually before proceeding.
• Allow plenty of time to cross the street.
• Watch for turning vehicles.

If you are dealing with a pedestrian accident involving an older adult in Fort Lauderdale, contact The Ansara Law Firm for a free and confidential consultation with a lawyer to discuss your rights. Call our Broward pedestrian accident attorney (954) 761-3641 – 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week. Serving all of Broward County, including Weston, Sunrise, Miramar, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Davie and Coral Springs.