Walking on the shoulder of the road is not ideal, but sometimes it is necessary. Many roads lack sidewalks, making the shoulder the safest option available for getting to your destination on foot.
This means walking just a few feet from traffic. All it takes is a few moments of negligence on the part of a single driver for a disaster to happen.
In a tragic example, a San Carlos man was killed last month when a motorist struck him on the shoulder of the road and fled the scene. The driver, also of San Carlos, is currently facing charges of drunk driving, vehicular manslaughter and hit and run.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, the victim was hit on the night of Apr. 23, and died at the scene. It appears that a witness saw the suspect’s vehicle flee the scene, because police responding to a broadcast alert quickly located it in a nearby parking lot. The suspect, a 51-year-old man, was also at the lot. Officers arrested him and seized his pickup truck.
Investigators were still gathering information about this deadly pedestrian crash as of late April.
Pedestrians have virtually no protection against drunk or otherwise negligent drivers. But they do have the ability to get financial compensation from the responsible parties. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you determine exactly what happened to you, how much you are entitled to in damages, and help you negotiate a fair settlement or take your case to trial.
