San Jose sees a rather large number of pedestrian/auto collisions today in comparison to previous years. In 2018, there were 52 people involved in auto crashes who passed away. Twenty-four of these individuals were pedestrians. That’s a large jump from just a few years earlier in 2015 when the area had seen 60 traffic fatalities but only 23 deaths involving pedestrians or in 2012, when there were only 12 pedestrian deaths.
There are many reasons why these crashes happen. Some of the most common include:
- Wearing dark or nonreflective clothing (making the pedestrian hard to see)
- Jaywalking
- Pedestrian inattention
- Drug or alcohol influence
- Pedestrians crossing nonresidential roads or roads with multiple lanes
Interestingly, most of the pedestrian fatalities in San Jose can be linked to crossing mid-block or jaywalking rather than other causes. If the driver was at fault, it was often due to distractions or drug and alcohol influence.
Where do pedestrian-auto accidents tend to happen?
They tend to occur on busier roadways, like multi-lane roads, instead of in residential areas. They also tended to occur at night or when it was darker outside.
No matter who you are, a pedestrian or driver, it’s important that you’re paying close attention to what you’re doing on or around the roads. Pay attention to changing conditions that are around you. If you’re a pedestrian, cross at marked intersections to help reduce the risk of a collision.
It’s important for those who are hit in a pedestrian-auto accident to seek emergency medical care. The injuries suffered could be severe. Our website has more information on the steps you can take if you’re hit by a car while walking as a pedestrian.
