Fairfield County second in most pedestrian deaths in state

In Fairfield County in 2013, eight pedestrians died, second in the state only to Hartford County where 12 pedestrians were killed.

According to information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, only one county experienced more pedestrian fatalities in 2013 than did Fairfield County. Hartford County was the location of 12 of the state’s 36 deaths in pedestrian-vehicle accidents. Fairfield County accounted for eight such deaths followed closely with seven fatalities in New Haven County.

Fairfield’s eight pedestrian deaths outnumbered its motorcyclist deaths and were out of a total of 51 vehicular fatalities in the county. Windham County lost three pedestrians in automotive crashes while two pedestrians each died in Middlesex, New London and Tolland Counties. Only Litchfield County had no pedestrian fatalities that year.

A problem around the nation

The Dangerous by Design report for the year 2014 highlights the serious problem associated with pedestrian safety across the country. Pedestrian victims account for more than 12 percent of all deaths in motor vehicle accidents in the U.S.

For the 10 years spanning from 2003 to 2012, pedestrian fatalities exceeded 47,000. Another 676,000 pedestrians are estimated to have been injured in that timeframe. These statistics have led to calls for improved road design and strengthened enforcement of laws.

Recent stories from Connecticut

Scanning news headlines online returns more reports of pedestrians being hit by motor vehicles than most people would like to see. A few recent examples include the following:

• A 17-year old New Haven boy was left with life-threatening injuries after a hit-and-run crash. WTNH.com reported that the pedestrian was hit by a vehicle that had not been found at the time the story was published.
• A second hit-and-run accident left a victim in Hartford dead according to NBC Connecticut. The accident happened in the early morning hours and prompted a search investigation by officers.
• Route 2 in Preston was closed for several hours for an investigation following a fatal pedestrian crash. WFSB.com noted that there were no injuries reported to the vehicle driver.
• FoxCT.com ran a story telling of a deadly crash that took the life of one teenager and injured another on the Fourth of July. The two teens were hit by a vehicle while crossing a street.
• In Willimantic, a pedestrian accident that appears to have involved two vehicles caused a street to be closed for investigative purposes. A pedestrian was treated for injuries to her extremities while the driver of one vehicle sustained life-threatening injuries. The report indicates that one vehicle was found off on the side of the road. No details were given as to which vehicle hit the pedestrian or what caused the collision.

These stories highlight the wide range of circumstances that can be associated with vehicle-pedestrian accidents.

Options for pedestrian victims

It is important for any pedestrian injured in a car crash to work with an attorney. The same is true for relatives of those killed in these accidents. Let the professionals at Miller, Rosnick, D’Amico, August and Butler, P.C. help you receive the compensation you deserve.