The Las Vegas Sun reports that a man was recently severely injured as he attempted to cross the street near the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino. According to law enforcement officers, the 76-year-old man failed to cross using a cross walk and was struck by a motorist who fled from the scene of the accident. The injured man was taken to the hospital for treatment and the alleged driver of the vehicle was located and arrested for felony hit-and-run. In an unrelated incident, a 61-year-old man was found dead near the intersection of Galleria Drive and Gibson road. Officers believe the man was the victim of another hit-and-run as he attempted to cross the street. The Clark County Coroner’s office stated that he died of blunt force trauma to the head as a result of the accident.
Fatal pedestrian accidents a common occurrence
These pedestrian accidents are far from surprising to many Las Vegas residents, and a recent study performed by the National Complete Streets Coalition and Smart Growth America has only strengthened that belief. The study, titled Dangerous By Design, ranked metropolitan areas to determine which areas were the most pedestrian friendly and which needed significant improvement. Based on the study, Las Vegas is currently the 13th most dangerous metro area for pedestrians in the nation.
Study details
Researchers utilized data from 2008 to 2013 to formulate the pedestrian danger index, a measure of how likely a pedestrian is to be injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident. PDI calculations include how many locals walk to work or other destinations each day and the number of pedestrian fatalities that were reported in each area. The safest area in the nation, the Boston-Cambridge area, received a PDI of 18.65. In comparison, Las Vegas scored a PDI of 102.67.
Accurate data
The Nevada Office of Traffic Safety and local law enforcement branches confirm that in 2013, 60 individuals died as a result of negligent drivers hitting pedestrians, a steep rise from the 43 in the prior year. The city’s only publicly funded hospital reported treating 244 pedestrians for car accident-related injuries. Of those treated at that hospital, 24 died due to their extensive injuries, 20 moved to rehabilitation centers, 7 received further treatment at nursing homes, and 193 were released from care. While Las Vegas is not the worst city for pedestrian safety in the nation, it has vast room for improvement. Until those improvements are made, individuals are likely to continue to suffer serious injury and death from drivers. Those who have been injured in an accident should contact a Las Vegas personal injury attorney to maximize their chance of receiving adequate compensation for their injuries.
