A 12-year-old boy was critically injured in a San Bernardino car accident when he was struck by a pickup truck while crossing the street, The Press Enterprise reports. The pedestrian accident occurred the morning of September 3, 2009 when the boy was on his way to school, walking in a marked crosswalk along Oak Glen Road at Second Street in Yucaipa, California. The boy was thrown nearly 50 feet from the point of impact. He suffered internal injuries and fractures to both thighs, Loma Linda fire officials said.
The driver of the 1995 Chevy truck, 55-year-old Cynthia McVay, told officials she couldn’t see the boy crossing the street because of her cracked and dusty windshield and the glare from the rising sun. The injury car accident was apparently witnessed by five fire crews who were on their way back after fighting a brush fire in Oak Glen.
My heart goes out to this young boy who has been seriously injured in this pedestrian-car accident. I hope his injuries were not catastrophic and that he makes a speedy and complete recovery. This child and his family will certainly be in my prayers.
San Bernardino Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no deaths, but six injuries involving pedestrian accidents reported in Yucaipa, California. In San Bernardino County as a whole, there were 50 deaths and 432 injuries in 2007 involving pedestrian accidents.
If this newspaper report is accurate, it appears that the driver of the pickup truck was at fault here. California law clearly states that drivers should yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. This accident, specifically, happened in a school zone. 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.”
Contacting a California Car Accident Lawyer
The family of this young victim would be well-advised to contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who will stay on top of the law enforcement investigation of this case and make sure the negligent parties are held accountable. I trust officials here, are also looking into whether the driver of the pickup truck was under the influence, distracted or otherwise negligent at the time of the collision. If it is determined that McVay was negligent, then she could be held liable. The boy’s family could seek compensation to cover medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, medication and even long-term care, if that becomes necessary.
A skilled California car accident lawyer will also look into whether a dangerous condition on this roadway may have caused or contributed to the accident. If that was the case, the city or the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable. Any such claim against a governmental agency in California must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.
SLS Consulting