Anyone who is walking on or near a public road is a pedestrian. Some pedestrians are out for exercise, while others simply need to buy something at a corner store. Anytime people on foot travel in close proximity to those in motor vehicles, they are at risk.
The level of risk for pedestrians has actually increased significantly in recent years. A national analysis of crash rates and fatalities shows that pedestrian deaths in 2022 were the highest they had been in 40 years. Researchers reported approximately 7,500 pedestrian deaths across the country, and that figure does not include any deaths from Oklahoma, which failed to provide data.
Pedestrian deaths have recently been at the highest level seen since 1981. There are many thousands of others injured in pedestrian crashes annually, many of whom have enormous medical expenses and lingering wage-related losses to consider. Who typically pays for the expenses generated in a pedestrian crash in North Carolina?
Drivers should provide insurance coverage
The law in North Carolina requires that those operating motor vehicles, which are dangerous pieces of heavy equipment, carry liability insurance. Liability policies can offer compensation to those harmed when a driver causes a crash.
Unfortunately, pedestrian collisions can easily cost far more than what the state requires in insurance coverage from drivers. Someone with permanent injuries may have hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses and possibly even more than that in lifetime lost wages. There are also some drivers who do not maintain the necessary insurance coverage on their vehicles.
Injured North Carolina pedestrians with expenses that insurance can’t cover may be eligible for a personal injury lawsuit. When a crash occurs due to negligence or someone violating traffic laws, the people affected can go to civil court to ask for financial compensation. A successful personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can result in reimbursement for economic losses and possibly even future losses.
Pedestrians should not have to worry about covering their health insurance deductibles or using their paid leave benefits from work just because a driver was irresponsible in traffic. Holding the right party accountable can minimize the economic losses triggered by a preventable pedestrian collision.
