Officials have identified a pedestrian who sustained fatal injuries in a San Bernardino car accident last month as 54-year-old Deborah Valdivia. The Press Enterprise reports that the fatal collision occurred the afternoon of October 2, 2009 near the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and Pepper Avenue in Rialto when Valdivia was hit by a minivan. She was taken to an area hospital where she died November 15, 2009. A police investigation is ongoing.
I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Deborah Valdivia for their irreparable loss. My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved this woman. Please keep them in your prayers.
San Bernardino Pedestrian Accident Statistics
There were four fatalities and 34 injuries involving pedestrian accident in Rialto, California, according to California Highway Patrol's 2007 traffic accident statistics. In San Bernardino County as a whole, 50 deaths and 432 injuries were reported in 2007 as a result of pedestrian accidents. Also, countywide, car accidents caused 308 deaths and injured 9,920 in 2007.
It seems to me that an investigation is still ongoing as far as this tragic car accident is concerned. There are a number of facts we do not know in this case. We don't know if Valdivia was walking in a crosswalk or at an intersection. If she was, then the motorist should have yielded right-of-way to the pedestrian. California Vehicle Code section 21950 states that a motorist is required to yield right-of-way to pedestrians who are crossing at an intersection – be it a marked or unmarked crosswalk.
California Pedestrian and Crosswalk Laws
The code 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."
In such cases, it would be in the best interest of victims and their families to consult with a truly reputed California personal injury lawyer, who will look into whether any negligence or wrongdoing may have contributed to this tragic accident. The best California personal injury law firms will always offer a free and comprehensive consultation to injured victims and their families.
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.
