Bicycle Accident Lawyer Scottsdale AZ
Safer Driving Urged During Pandemic, Pedestrians, and Bicyclists are at Risk
Speeding and reckless driving have become temptations to some drivers as streets have emptied during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though stay-at-home orders have resulted in fewer cars on the road, law enforcement agencies across the country are seeing a severe spike in speeding. Many states have reported alarming speed increases, especially above 100 mph or more. A bicycle accident lawyer Scottsdale AZ can advise a crash victim concerning the possibility of a claim for damages.
Here are examples of reckless driver behaviors reported recently:
- In Iowa, where traffic is down about 50% even without a stay-at-home order, troopers cited 103 drivers for speeding 100 mph or higher in March, that was up from 64 drivers in March 2019.
- In Minnesota, motor vehicle crashes and fatalities have more than doubled compared to the same time period in previous years. Half of those deaths were related to speeding or to careless or negligent driving.
- In New York City, despite far fewer vehicles on the road, the city’s automated speed cameras issued 24,765 speeding tickets citywide on March 27, or nearly double the 12,672 tickets issued daily a month earlier.
- In Phoenix, speeds are up by as much as 25% on some streets. In Los Angeles, speeds are up by 30%, prompting changes to traffic lights and pedestrian walk signals.
Safety officials are urging drivers to be safer than ever. High-speed crashes often result in serious injury or death and place even more stress on a currently maxed-out healthcare system. “While COVID-19 is clearly our national priority, our traffic safety laws cannot be ignored,” says Jonathan Adkins, Executive Director of the Governors Highway Safety Association. “Law enforcement officials have the same mission as health care providers, to save lives. If you must drive, buckle up, follow the posted speed limit and look out for pedestrians and bicyclists. Emergency rooms in many areas of the country are at capacity, and the last thing they need is additional strain from traffic crash victims.”
A bicycle accident lawyer Scottsdale AZ can investigate fault, obtain witness statements and consult with an accident reconstructionist.
While motor vehicle traffic has been down the past month, pedestrian and bicycle traffic are reported to have increased exponentially. Many people, however, have started to walk or ride in the street instead of the sidewalk or bike lane in order to maintain social distancing, potentially putting them in a dangerous position. This has safety officials urging the public to “walk with caution, and drive with care.”
Pedestrians now account for 17% of all traffic-related fatalities in the U.S. In Arizona, the state was the fourth highest in the country for pedestrian fatalities with 3.3 per 100,000 population in 2018. In Phoenix, there were 94 pedestrian deaths in 2017 and increased up to 110 pedestrian deaths in 2018.
If you or a loved one if ever involved in any kind of accident, consulting with a bicycle accident lawyer Scottsdale AZ should be a top priority. A lawyer can help you better understand your situation, deal with the insurance company and get you the compensation you deserve, there would be no fees unless a settlement is obtained. A personal injury lawyer can help you better understand your case, deal with the insurance company for the other side, and attempt to get you the fair compensation that you deserve. Contact the office of Paul Englander, PLC today for more information.
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