A 21-year-old woman sustained serious injuries in an Irvine car accident the morning of February 16, 2010 while crossing at an intersection. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the accident occurred at the intersection of Yale Avenue and Southwood. The woman was transported to an area hospital for treatment of her injuries. Officials are still looking into what caused the accident.

My heart goes out to this young woman who has been seriously injured in this accident. I hope and pray that she did not sustain major or catastrophic injuries. She will certainly be in my prayers.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

According to California Highway Patrol's 2008 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there was one fatality and 24 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Irvine. In Orange County as a whole, 31 deaths and 785 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2008.

What Caused the Accident?

If the details of this news report are accurate, the woman was walking at an intersection at the time of the collision. The intersection of Yale and Southwood in Irvine in a lighted intersection with marked crosswalks. So, the question is, who had right-of-way at the time of the collision. Here are a few questions that need to be answered. Did the pedestrian have the light? Did the driver have the green light? Was the pedestrian in the crosswalk at the time of the collision? Was the driver impaired, distracted, speeding or otherwise negligent? I trust investigators are examining these issues to determine what happened here.

Laws and Liability Issues

California law requires drivers to yield right-of-way to pedestrians walking in crosswalks. California Vehicle Code Section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.” The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.”

The injured victim would be well-advised to get in touch with an experienced Irvine personal injury lawyer, who will stay on top of the official investigation and make sure that her legal rights and best interests are protected. A skilled car accident lawyer will also help determine whether there was a dangerous condition on the roadway, which caused or contributed to this accident. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. Any such claim against a California governmental agency must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

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