Mark Gomez of MercuryNews.com reports that a pedestrian sustained serious injuries in an accident on Alum Rock Avenue. On Wednesday morning, the driver of a truck struck a 45-year-old woman while she was walking on a marked crosswalk. The driver, who was traveling eastbound in a 2000 Chevy pickup, hit the woman at approximately 6:19 a.m. The pedestrian had potentially life-threatening injuries, but several hours following the accident a San Jose police offer reported that she was expected to live.
Officers cited the pickup truck driver for driving without a license. The driver is free pending the outcome of the accident investigation, but police do not believe alcohol or drugs played a role in the accident. Alum Rock Avenue reopened at 8:30 a.m.
Pedestrians are at serious risk when using San Jose roadways, even when they follow all traffic laws and use only marked crosswalks. As pedestrians have little protection against large, heavy vehicles, they often sustain serious injuries when hit, even if the driver is traveling at a low rate of speed. In fact, California is one of the top four states for pedestrian fatalities, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA estimates that a pedestrian is killed in a traffic accident every two hours in the United States. Additionally, pedestrian injuries are one of the most common types of injuries in children under the age of 14.
If you or a loved one sustained life-threatening injuries in a traffic accident, the help of an attorney can be invaluable in helping you ensure that you have the means to pay for emergency medical care and all follow-up care related to the accident. A San Jose pedestrian accident attorney at Van Der Walde & Associates will work hard to fight for your rights. Contact us at (877) 862-6288 for a free consultation.
