Pedestrian Killed in Long Beach Car Accident

Police in Long Beach have identified a woman killed in a Long Beach car accident as 68-year-old Carmelita Delsol Rayos. The Press Telegram reports that Rayos was fatally injured after she was struck by an SUV while crossing West Willow Street at Baltic Avenue the morning of December 14, 2009. Long Beach police say Rayos died at the scene and that the driver was not cited or arrested pending an investigation.

My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved Carmelita Delsol Rayos for their horrible loss. I offer my deepest sympathies to her family and friends. They will certainly be in my prayers.

Long Beach Pedestrian Accident Statistics

There were 15 fatalities and 274 injuries involving pedestrian accidents in Long Beach, according to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). Countywide 210 people died and 5,095 were injured as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007. Also in Los Angeles County as a whole, 712 deaths and 56,475 injuries were reported during the same year as a result of car accidents.

Crosswalk Laws in California

If this news report is accurate, it seems to me that Rayos was crossing the street at an intersection. 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." Rayos was crossing the street at an intersection and the law states drivers should yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are crossing at an intersection – whether it is in a marked or unmarked crosswalk.

I trust officials in this case also investigating why the driver struck the pedestrian. Was he impaired, distracted, speeding or otherwise negligent? It would be in the best interests of the victim's family to contact an experienced Long Beach personal injury lawyer, who will look into all aspects of this crash and help determine whether there was any negligence involved. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will also be able to determine whether a dangerous roadway condition caused or contributed to this pedestrian accident. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining this roadway could also be held liable. Any such claim against a California governmental agency must be promptly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.

We are 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 a reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free confidential consultation to "not a fault" persons named in this article and their family members.