Elderly Florida Man Killed In Pedestrian Crash
It may seem like a great idea to get around from place to place by walking—until a crash occurs. Pedestrians are vulnerable when walking on the road near cars. With no protection, a pedestrian accident can be deadly.
Sadly, an 80-year-old man in Florida was killed after getting hit by an SUV. The fatal accident occurred on the evening of January 5 near Melbourne Beach. The man was hospitalized and died the next day.
The man was trying to cross the street at the intersection of State Road A1A and Casseekee Trail when he was hit by an SUV. He was not in a crosswalk at the time of the crash. The man was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center, where he died the following evening. The driver of the SUV, a 45-year-old man from Melbourne, was not injured in the accident.
It was determined that the SUV had the right of way. Melbourne Beach police, Florida Highway Patrol, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, and Brevard County Fire Rescue all responded to the crash.
Pedestrian Accidents on the Rise
There were fewer vehicles on the road in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic forcing people to quarantine in their homes as much as possible. Many workers were ordered to work remotely, so the number of vehicles on the road greatly decreased. So why were pedestrian accidents on the rise?
Technically, anyone on foot should have had a less likely chance of getting hit by a car in 2020. The problem is that, with fewer vehicles on the road, the roads were wide open. Because of this, motorists felt the need to drive faster. This means that instead of driving 55 or 65 miles per hour on the freeways, some drivers were exceeding speeds of 90 miles per hour.
The same went for urban areas as well. People felt the need for speed, as this led to dangerous conditions for pedestrians. Pedestrians were not expecting drivers to speed, run red lights, and take their right of way.
Accidents were occurring at higher speeds, which means that the damages were more serious in nature. This means that the pedestrian fatality rate was higher than normal. Also, when bigger vehicles, such as SUVs, hit pedestrians at high speeds, the results are almost always fatal.
Contact Us Today
Walking from place to place is common in Florida, where there are tons of tourists. However, it is not always the safest route, as pedestrian accidents are occurring at higher than average rates.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a pedestrian accident, seek legal help from the Florida pedestrian accident lawyers at Meldon Law. We can assess your case and help you get the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation with our office today by filling out the online form or calling (800) 373-8000. We have three offices to serve you: Gainesville, Ocala, and Fort Lauderdale.
Resource:
floridatoday.com/story/news/2022/01/07/wednesday-night-crash-near-melbourne-beach-kills-pedestrian-2nd-2-days/9129353002/
